


Veiled

by itsukoii, mittilla



Category: the GazettE
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Bottom Aoi (the GazettE), Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Homophobia, M/M, Self-Discovery, Slow Burn, Smut, Top Uruha (the GazettE), aoiha is the main pairing but reituki are there too!, dumb straight guys, poor gays in love with those dumb straight guys, sassy diva ruki, totally infatuated aoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2019-04-19 22:05:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 201,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14246712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsukoii/pseuds/itsukoii, https://archiveofourown.org/users/mittilla/pseuds/mittilla
Summary: After exposed secrets gone awry at his old high school have Yuu running away to a new one in hopes of a fresh start, how will he fare when those problems wreak havoc all over again—but this time in the form of a beautiful, blond president that has managed to sweep the new student off of his feet with as little as a glance in his direction?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so this started out as an rp between mittilla and i, but we decided to turn it into a fic and we've been suuuper excited to get it published. chapters will update weekly starting from today!

Yuu was sitting on a cold metal bench, his fingers slowly tapping on the books in his lap. The backpack holding all of his treasures was thrown onto the polished floor next to his feet, the silence filling the air feeling almost soothing to the boy’s nervously beating heart.

His mother had spent more than 15 minutes in the principal's office, and that had caused a small spiral of questions to form and torment Yuu’s thoughts. This newfound insecurity was making him feel vulnerable, and the boy slowly closed his eyes, desperately trying to find solace in the stillness surrounding him.

The sudden click of a doorknob made him jump in his seat a second later, his eyes shooting open instantly, and he turned to his left, following the sound that had just startled him.

There was a boy that soon came to his vision, exiting a room nearby, holding quite a lot of books in his hands himself. Their eyes met soon after and a gentle smile appeared on the newcomer’s face, which made Yuu ease in his seat instantly. He didn’t put his guard down, though, remaining motionless in his spot and watching the boy’s movements carefully as he made a few steps to approach him.

His hair was short, and as he got closer, Yuu was able to spot a cute dimple on his face.

“Hello there! I’m Uke Yutaka. You must be the new student, right?” The boy sounded cheerful as he spoke and Yuu was coaxed into the mood, a small smile appearing on his face as well.

“Shiroyama Yuu,” he nodded, and took the next couple of moments to examine Yutaka’s features, which the boy found to be soothing and calming in a very peculiar way.

“It’s nice to meet you, Yuu. I believe you’ll be in my class. I’m also part of the student council, so if you need help with anything, you can always count on me for assistance!”

Yuu felt warmth rising up inside his chest as he was treated with kindness for the first time in what seemed to be months. The boy had almost forgotten what it felt like. He wanted to bask in the moment fully and let the good feeling sink in, but his dark thoughts quickly wiped off his smile and Yuu returned to his defensive posture instantly.

“Are you… the person who will show me around?” He asked, still suspicious of the boy in front of him, but the change in his demeanor didn’t seem to affect Yutaka at all, his smile only growing wider instead.

“I’m afraid not. Our student council president will take care of that. Are you waiting for him right now?”

“I’m actually waiting for my mother,” Yuu answered, his voice lowering as his eyes drifted to the door next to them. ”She’s still in the principal's office.”

“I see.” Yutaka sighed. ”I’m sure they’ll be done soon. I have to go though, so I’ll see you later in class. And cheer up, our school isn’t that bad!”

The boy waited for Yuu to react and, after receiving a quick nod, accompanied with a slight curve on his full lips, Yutaka turned around and walked down the corridor, leaving the new student all alone with his thoughts once again.

The short conversation with the other student had gone even better than Yuu had expected, and his fingers reached up to circle around a strand of long black hair that was falling messily on his shoulder. A thoughtful expression locked his eyebrows in a frown then, feeling content all of a sudden, even though everything here was still new to him.

He felt… normal again, for some odd reason that he couldn’t decipher yet, but didn’t delve much into it as the principal's door clicked, the loud sound echoing throughout the empty corridor.

Yuu’s heart jumped in his chest as another boy appeared in front of him, and as the boy got out of the office, Yuu’s mother was following behind him with gentle smile splattered on her face.

They both greeted him but he didn’t answer nor react at all, his eyes locked on the tall student grinning at him.

Despite the positive vibes radiating from them both, Yuu didn’t feel his mood rising at all. His eyes studied the boy’s features, thoroughly admiring the straight nose and the curve of his lips, moving to the light shade of silky hair falling at the sides of his face. An instant jolt of attraction mixed with guilt shook his entire body.

“Hello, Yuu. I’m the president of the student council, Takashima Kouyou. I’m pleased to meet you.” After introducing himself, Kouyou gave a small bow, a warm smile etched in his pretty yet masculine features.

The professionalism and tone of the boy’s voice was unexpectedly soothing, instant heat rising up to Yuu’s cheeks. He looked at his mother briefly and the look in her eyes only frightened him more, the realization hitting him instantly.

He was in big trouble again, wasn’t he?

Kouyou bit the inside of his cheek as he glanced from the new student to his mother. Both were silent and the air was heavy, an almost malleable sort of tension to it as Kouyou noticed the stern look only a parent could master, to which he noticed Yuu's response was nothing but the stilling of his body and inability to meet his mother's gaze. The dirty blond senior watched, albeit slightly awkwardly as though he was intruding on something for family to witness and family only, as Yuu blinked a couple of times and averted his eyes before clearing his throat and peering up at Kouyou with big, dark orbs.

Kouyou was relieved to hear Yuu speak, the awkwardness in the air slightly dissipating. "Um, pleased to meet you too, Mr. President."

"Oh, Kouyou is fine," the boy smiled warmly once more at his new companion. Without even looking at the raven-haired boy's mother, Kouyou could sense her intense gaze burning into him, causing him to shiver slightly under his clothes. How... unsettling. Weird? Kouyou didn't know. He'd met a handful of weird parents in his time, and Yuu's mother didn't quite seem to fit that criteria. If anything, she just seemed... concerned? Because any mother would be, sending their child to a new school, right? Yeah, she was just concerned, worried about her son's well-being.

Kouyou rolled his shoulders back, chest out and his hands clasped together in front of it, perfectly fitting the confident role of a school president as he tried to console Yuu's mother into trusting him to take care of the shorter raven-haired boy. "Don't worry, Ms. Shiroyama. I'll take good care of Yuu. The first step in doing so would be to get him to his first class, isn't that right?"

"Yes," the woman confirmed sternly, her burning gaze this time locked onto her son as she spoke to the president. Kouyou had offered such a suggestion in an attempt to free poor Yuu from his mother's scrutiny, but it seemed like, so far, his efforts weren't doing too much to ease Yuu into feeling calmer. Christ, this woman really had an effect on the poor boy. "Yes. Thank you, Kouyou. I would hate for him to get into trouble on his very first day of attendance." Ouch—the latter part of her sentence was spoken with such a sharp tone it made Kouyou wince inwardly, despite the realization that it wasn't even directed at him; no, it was directed at Yuu, who flinched.

Although he was curious as to what Yuu and his mother were silently communicating amongst themselves, Kouyou didn't want to pry into private family matters. He quickly changed the subject, because glancing at his watch, class was indeed going to start very soon, and he had to get Yuu there ASAP—but he also didn't want to be continue being caught in the middle of this weird situation. "I won't let that happen, Ms. Shiroyama," he reassured her. Yuu was in his care now, and he wanted to prove it to this woman. "Okay, Yuu," he reached down to pat the new student's shoulder, the younger boy still sitting down. "What's your first class?"

Yuu had chills run down his spine as soon as he felt the senior’s hand on his shoulder, his instincts working fast and making him pull away from the touch instantly. He tried to mask the rude gesture by grabbing his backpack, rising up on his feet a second later. The boy almost felt dizzy at this point, the familiar pressure in his chest making it hard to breathe.

Kouyou looked taken aback at the new student’s peculiar reaction to his friendly touch, but didn’t let himself linger on it.

“First class is history, I believe,” Yuu murmured, quickly hanging the backpack on his shoulder and hugging the books in front of his chest securely. Such a bad start for him already, and he mentally cursed at his bad luck, desperately trying to avoid his mother’s eyes.

“History! My favorite subject,” the president replied cheerfully.

They both wished Yuu’s mother a good day and the woman quickly hugged her son, leaving a peck on his cheek as well. The motherly gesture embarrassed him even more and he didn’t dare speak to his senior again as they walked down the school corridors a moment later, searching for his new class.

Kouyou seemed to be quite the talkative type though, much to Yuu’s dismay, who kept trying to distract himself from the president’s soothing voice. He tried to concentrate on the students around them instead, but his curiosity kept nagging at his disturbed heart, causing his insides to stir. He knew that feeling all too well and his soul couldn’t choose a better time to send him into frenzy of uncontrollable emotions.

Once they reached the classroom, Yuu made an effort to look at the president once more and his breath halted in his chest, realising the boy was staring back right into his eyes.

“I’ll pick you up for lunch break,” Kouyou announced, making it clear that any protests were of no use, and Yuu simply nodded in return.

“See you later, then.” Yuu forced a smile on his face and quickly entered the classroom, leaving the older student behind.

Once he was inside, Yuu almost sighed with relief, but was cut short as the teacher’s voice reached him and he was forced to stand in front of the students a second later. The woman had a tiny, very irritating voice, which almost made him reconsider his decision of entering the room in the first place. He managed to keep his posture, though, and it didn’t take long until he was properly introduced to everyone and was allowed to sit on the empty desk at the back.

Yutaka’s cheerful gaze met with his for a brief moment and, as the minutes passed by, Yuu found that he felt comfortable and almost content with his day so far. His new school turned out to be better after all and his chest fluttered with a newfound hope.

As the classes rolled one after another, his thoughts slowly drifted back to the student council president that was supposed to pick him up for lunch, and that made his appetite fade and almost disappear when the time for their reunion finally came.

Kouyou was waiting for him in the corridor in front of the classroom and Yuu got startled seeing him standing there already, the books in his hands almost slipping from his grip. He couldn’t believe what kind of effect this boy’s charms had on him, and he grew quite irritated by his own awkwardness. Could he be even more obvious?

But Kouyou didn’t seem to notice his internal emotional struggle and simply chuckled, offering his help instead.

“Do you want me to carry these for you?”

“No.” Yuu didn’t even hesitate with denying the president’s show of kindness, and he soon realised his voice had been just a bit too loud as a few students turned around to take an awkward glance at them.

At Yuu's snapping, Kouyou flinched and stopped in his tracks, his mouth agape. The gazes of the students upon them were slightly intimidating, but as the president, he really didn't give two shits—so when he saw Yuu was still struggling, the boy tried again. "Seriously, it's not a problem, just let me hold one of your books—"

"I said no!"

Okay, Yuu very much did not want his help. Noted.

Almost every pair of eyes in the hallway was now on them, and Kouyou knew he must've poked a sore wound of some kind for Yuu to get so worked up, considering how soft-spoken he seemed to be when Kouyou had just met the new student. "Sorry, I didn't mean... Hey! Stop staring and get to lunch!" His apology to Yuu was cut short by the many awkward gazes of the other students making him uncomfortable, and probably Yuu too, and at Kouyou's command they were instantly shuffling away, murmuring amongst themselves as they eyed him suspiciously. Kouyou merely crossed his arms and scoffed before returning his attention to the shorter raven-haired boy in front of him, whom had, by that point, seemed to have gotten a decent hold on the multiple binders in his arms. Gosh, did he really need that many?

"Yuu, I... I just thought that you could use some help," the blond confessed, trying to meet the raven's eyes but finding himself unable to as Yuu refused to meet his. How difficult; and yet Kouyou couldn't bring himself to feel anger, nor get upset at Yuu for his actions. Kouyou understood, and he didn't let Yuu's outbursts be taken personally—it was always hard to be the new student.

"I'm sorry," came Yuu's timid voice, and that was that.

After fetching their lunches from their respective lockers, Kouyou chatting and making small talk the entire journey only to receive nearly complete silence on Yuu's end, the pair finally ended up in the cafeteria, seated at an empty table nearest a large window. Sunlight filtered in, warming up Kouyou's face and highlighting his flaxen locks in an angelic golden glow. He sat across from Yuu, beginning to unpack his lunch and take out a sandwich.

"So, Yuu—"

_"Kouyouuuuu!"_

God-fucking-dammit.

"Hello, Yumi." Seriously? Now, of all times?

As annoyed as Kouyou might have been, he couldn't allow himself to show it, not while he was the president and Yumi was... honestly, Kouyou didn't care enough to remember her role in student council, but she was on it.

Her annoyingly high pitched and uppity voice was shrill in Kouyou's ears, and he sent an apologetic glance to Yuu, who was viewing the scene before him with wide, surprised eyes.

"Kouyou! I need you to help me with something in the meeting room. A few of us talked about planning more spirit days, and I want to go over the ideas with youuuuu!"

Kouyou visibly winced as she spoke. She had taken a seat beside him, sliding close and twisting her torso so that her chest was turned towards him, her fake lashes fluttering. Christ, this girl had to be the most annoying one in the school—and the worst part? She was on student council, which meant that Kouyou couldn't escape her. Something even worse? She was absolutely _infatuated_ with Kouyou.

Taking in a large inhale to compose himself, he faced her politely before replying with a smile.

"Yumi, I do apologize but as you can see, I'm in the middle of something right now. We'll have to discuss the ideas later."

Visible anger could be seen in the girl's eyes at his response, and Kouyou couldn't help but lean back slightly, sending a side-glance to Yuu who looked to be just as afraid, if not more.

"Oh, right. Is this the new student you're showing around today?" She smirked, turning her head to scrutinize Yuu instead. God help them both. "He's cute."

"Yumi. _Go,_ " Kouyou nearly barked, unable to keep a polite facade up in front of this pest for much longer.

Just like that, she'd left, but not without a sassy flip of her long blonde hair and a swish in her hips as she walked.

"Yuu, I’m sorry you had to witness that," Kouyou rubbed his temples as he tried to calm himself down, for Yuu's sake and his own. “I shouldn’t be admitting this, but I can’t stand her. I was hoping you wouldn’t have to be subjected to her at all, to be quite honest.”

Yuu simply offered a soft smile, hiding a chuckle. "What's a high school without some annoying ones like that, right?"

Kouyou chuckled at Yuu's response. "That, I will drink to," he joked, taking a swig of his juice. "So, anyways, as I was saying before that rude interruption," he scowled, "tell me a little bit about yourself. Your hobbies, your interests. Anything you want."

Meanwhile, Yuu was absolutely mesmerized by Kouyou’s outlines and the way his lips moved while he talked; it had a certain flow of perfection that the boy had never seen before. Even his eyes had a certain spark that seemed to light up a fire inside of Yuu’s chest. It almost felt painful for the new student as he studied every feature of the senior in front of him.

The girl that interrupted them seemed quite friendly, but there was something in the way she moved and talked that intimidated him in very peculiar way. She seemed to be the clingy type, as well, and the boy couldn’t deny the tinge of jealousy that poked his heart and made his face turn slightly red.

As she finally left and Yuu had Kouyou’s attention all to himself again, the boy’s heart sank immediately after hearing the president’s request to share his interests.

He knew it was probably the most accurate subject for them at this point, but the raven was part of a certain _nerdish_ category that he wasn’t very proud of.

“Interests…” He bit his lip upon the realization that there was no escape, Kouyou staring at him expectantly. He couldn’t disappoint him, could he?

Because what if the president was actually interested in him, and wasn’t just initiating small talk to kill the time?

_Sure…_ Yuu almost snorted at himself internally, knowing that his mind was going into dangerous realms already.

“I like playing video games,” Yuu answered after a minute long battle with himself, and the smile on Kouyou’s face was genuine, not mocking him in any way. That alone was enough to make the boy feel confident and continue with his next sentence. ”I love to play guitar, too.”

At that, the president’s eyes flickered with a cheerful glisten, his eyebrows rising.

“No way. I love playing guitar too! I actually play with my friends from time to time, and we like to come up with our own compositions!”

Yuu’s heart fluttered at that and the butterflies tickling his insides felt new to him. Kouyou was definitely leaving an impact on his feelings, the new student was growing tense by the minute.

It was his first day at this school and he was already making the same mistakes again, but the council president seemed so different and carefree. Something about him was pulling Yuu in like a magnet and the words just kept rolling off the raven’s full lips.

“I actually love the arts in general. I like to draw a lot, and I was thinking… about signing up for some sort of arts club or activity.”

“You’re talking to the right person for that!” Kouyou seemed even more excited than before, and Yuu’s heart warmed up a bit, enjoying the beautiful smile splattered on the president’s face. ”I’m pretty popular in that community. I made sure to make some ties, since 90% of it is chicks. Couldn’t resist, you know?”

So he was straight. _Oh…_

And just like that, the warmth engulfing Yuu’s heart was gone completely. What was he thinking in the first place, seriously? Did he really develop hope? And... how did he end up in this odd, yet all too familiar situation again?

“Do you have a girlfriend?” Kouyou’s question shot right through him and Yuu choked on his juice, his lungs clenching as if he were going to die right then and there.

_What the hell?!_

“Good god… are you okay?” The senior looked like he was ready to jump from his seat, but the boy managed to regain his posture, quickly waving it all off a second later.

“I….” He tried to speak, his voice low, but manageable. ”I don’t have one.”

“Really?” Kouyou scoffed and frowned. ”I can’t believe this. You’re too cute to be single.”

He fucking didn’t.

_Did he?_

If Yuu was unsure before, he definitely wanted to die right now and save himself from this cheeky bastard.

_Attractive_ cheeky bastard.

Oh, well.

“Um... Earth to Yuu?" Kouyou fretted, reaching out to grip the boy across from him's forearm as he seemed to be malfunctioning in some way, attempting to bring him back down to reality. Yuu wasn't replying, appearing to be simply gazing off into nothing. Was it something Kouyou said? "Yuu, oh Yuuuuu," he sang as he shook the boy's arm, genuinely worried now at the weird display in front of him. Thankfully, it didn't take long for the new student to get yanked out of his trance.

"Huh..."

"You're weird, Yuu. You just totally zoned out. Anyways," Kouyou chuckled, falling back into his talkative, friendly demeanor. "So you don't have a girlfriend. If you ever want one, hit me up, because I'm sure we could find you one ASAP. More and more girls are into ‘cute’ types of guys these days, so I think—"

Oh god. There it was again, the malfunction. "Yuu! Stop that, you're scaring me..."

This time, Yuu's malfunction was, thankfully, shorter than the first. Was this something that happened often? Kouyou would have to watch his words...

"If it makes you feel any better..." Kouyou lowered his voice, eyes shifting from side to side. "I don't have a girlfriend either."

_Yuu.exe has stopped working._

Eventually, Kouyou coaxed Yuu out of his third trance, and Kouyou was sharing with Yuu his own interests and passions. "I'm pretty busy with school, considering I'm a senior and the president of this place," he started, taking a nibble at his sandwich before continuing. "But when I'm not, my main hobbies would be playing guitar, and I'm on the soccer team. And..." Jesus, what else did he do? He slept a lot, but that couldn't be considered a hobby. "It's not really a hobby, but I go to parties too, sometimes even host them myself. You should come sometime!" He exclaimed as though it was one of the most brilliant ideas he'd ever thought up. "I'll let you know the next time one's going on, because it'll be a great opportunity for you to meet some new people. What do you say, Yuu?" Kouyou leaned forward, his elbows on the table and his head resting on his hands, the long strands of his hair framing his face and loosely draping over his knuckles. He grinned warmly at Yuu, hoping it would be enough to convince the new student into doing as he suggested.

"I... I don't know, um, I'm not really a fan of social gatherings like that," Yuu admitted, unable to meet Kouyou's bright, boyish gaze.

"Ah, no pressure... it was just a suggestion." Kouyou leaned back in his chair and hummed. He just wanted Yuu to get the best possible high school experience, and what was a high school experience without parties? "But if you're really not into the idea, I understand. Oh! We should get you into one of the art clubs soon, that'd be a good start..." Okay, Kouyou really had to shut up. Yuu had gone unnervingly silent, and Kouyou had a feeling that he was overwhelming the raven-haired. Oddly enough, the president wasn't usually this talkative, especially not with new students. More often than not it was a simple process of 'here are your classes, here's what goes down in the school, yadda yadda' and that was it.

But something about Yuu just made him want to keep talking.

Kouyou leaned back in his chair, clearing his throat awkwardly before speaking again. "I'm sure all of this is overwhelming for you. We'll take things slow, I promise."

Kouyou’s face was just too adorable, and Yuu was sure it was his signature expression—because it almost had him submitting.

The student couldn’t believe it, but his first actual friend in this school happened to be none other than this gorgeous human being; or at least, it seemed that way. The interest that Kouyou showed in him was intriguing, yet Yuu had to keep reminding himself that it was probably just mere kindness from his senior.

“If you help me get into an arts club, I might… reconsider the parties,” he said, chewing on his lower lip and watched as Kouyou’s eyes lit up.

He just got himself into another mess, didn’t he?

“Oh, you just made the best choice of your life, Yuu. You won’t be disappointed.”

The raven simply smiled and then kept eating, using the opportunity to focus on his food for a bit so that his eyes could rest from Kouyou’s breathtaking appearance.

He wasn’t sure what made him say what he did, and it aggravated him for a moment. He would prefer to do so many other things over wasting time on preparing for a party, full of people he wasn’t sure about whether he wanted to get to know at all.

Something in Kouyou’s voice was too soothing and calming, though, making Yuu feel secure and confident enough to consider the idea of some socializing for once.

“There’s a party this weekend, but I’d prefer to go next week, because we have a test on Monday. I’ll have to study hard, probably.” Kouyou huffed and pouted all of a sudden, and Yuu’s attention was back on him instantly.

“What test?”

“Math, and… I freaking hate math,” Kouyou retorted, and his smile faded completely. “It’s probably the only subject that I almost fail every year.”

His words tugged at Yuu’s heartstrings in all the right ways and the boy quickly opened his mouth, spilling words which were bound to make him drown in self loathe later.

“I can totally help you with that! I’m pretty good at it, and I won all of the math competitions at my old school.”

Kouyou was stunned and didn’t reply as he was rendered speechless, probably for the first time since they met that day. It made Yuu frown a little, feeling slightly scared as he wondered if he had somehow made the president feel uncomfortable.

“You’re in a grade lower than me.”

“Yeah…” Yuu merely nodded, still unsure of his own feelings at this point.

“Oh my god, you must be some sort of genius or... I don’t know, you must be amazing,” Kouyou said, amused, his smirk returning on his face as he spoke and Yuu’s body temperature boiled to a dangerous degree.

The sparks of embarrassment bouncing around made the boy’s skin burn. If he could, he would be crying now, because Kouyou’s words were teasing him in the worst way possible. Why was this boy so straight and so damn suggestive at the same time?

Before Kouyou could open his mouth to discuss more about the tutoring that Yuu could help him with (Kouyou didn't know how Yuu was going to manage it, but the senior needed all of the help he could get—and he certainly wasn't about to go around _asking_ for a tutor, absolutely not, because he had a reputation to uphold) the ear-splitting ring of the bell signalling lunch's end had sounded in the cafeteria.

"Damn. We'll have to talk about this another time. Do you think you can get to your next class on your own, or do you want me to go with you?" Kouyou questioned, standing up from his seat and packing his lunch up, collecting his garbage as he prepared to throw it in the trash. Kouyou didn't know if offering to show him around the school counted as help that Yuu didn't want, resulting in another one of the new student's outbursts, but he could at least offer, couldn't he?

"I don't want to be a bother, but, um..." Yuu trailed off, copying Kouyou's movements and standing up as well. "I'd appreciate it if you could show me."

The senior smiled warmly down at the raven-haired student, still opposite him on the other side of the table. "It's not an issue, Yuu," he promised. "All of this is part my job as student president." Was it really his job? Admittedly, Kouyou had never really sat down and tried to get to know new students before, not like he had with Yuu in the past hour—but showing new students around the school was, undeniably, _a part of his job_ , so it was something he couldn't skip out on, even if he wanted to (but for some reason, he really, really didn't).

"Off we go, then," Kouyou announced after shooting his ball of trash into the can like a basketball going into a hoop, then falling into step with Yuu as the two exited.

He dropped off the new student at his next class, which happened to be art. Kouyou couldn't help but grin at Yuu's childish excitement once the news was unveiled—Yuu seemed pretty passionate about the subject. Good for him.

"I'll meet you here after class and then take you to your next one, okay?" Kouyou offered, wishing Yuu good luck and a goodbye before he left to make his way to his own next class.

Math.

He shuddered at the thought alone.

Kouyou arrived a couple of minutes late, his pace slow and his head a bit foggy, earning a bit of a scolding from the teacher because, as student president, he was expected to arrive to class on time. He simply explained he was showing a new student around and was left without punishment. Kouyou sat down at his usual desk, books out and pencil in hand, but for some reason his focus wasn't on the math he was supposed to be doing, or the lesson he was receiving. Instead, his mind wandered back to the new student. Yuu. He liked that name.

~

The lesson quickly ended, Kouyou showed Yuu his next few classes, and before he knew it, the day had come to a close; but for some reason, a part of him didn't want it to end.

As he walked home that night, settling into his room and taking out his math homework, his mind kept drifting to the shorter raven-haired as Kouyou's frustration for math bubbled and eventually exploded, causing him to bump his forehead down onto the desk and angrily close his books shut. He had to set up a tutoring session ASAP, because he didn't understand this shit.

And maybe, just maybe, he wanted an excuse to see Yuu again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok we lied, we were way too impatient to wait an entire week for posting the next chapter so here's the second one a day later!!

The next day went similarly to the first, Kouyou showing Yuu his classes once more and spending lunch with him again to set up a tutoring session. The pair decided on a session that night, as Kouyou had a test shockingly soon and he truly needed every ounce of extra help he could get.

"Do you want to walk home with me tonight? We can study at my house," Kouyou had offered.

Yuu felt like his heart was going to burst any moment now. Did Kouyou seriously just invite him to his house, or it was his imagination going wild again?

“You mean…” the boy slowly chewed on his food and tried to choose his words carefully, “come to your house… immediately after school? I’ll… have to speak to my mom about it.”

“Of course, I figured,” Kouyou nodded and quickly took out a flashy phone from the pocket of his pants. ”Let’s exchange numbers so that you can text me once you speak with her. My classes end before yours, so I’ll know if I should wait for you or not.”

Yuu gulped a few times as his eyes got teary, but he quickly blinked the liquid away. This was a dream coming true, and he got mad at himself for getting so excited over such a thing. The boy his heart was pounding for was straight, but Yuu just couldn’t help it at this point.

After exchanging phone numbers and finishing their lunches, the boys quickly returned to class and waited until all of their subjects rolled one after another. Yuu’s excitement was growing rapidly and, despite his efforts to hide it, even Yutaka noticed the change in his mood as he finally called his mom and was granted permission to tutor Kouyou tonight.

The boy desperately tried to convince himself that everything was going to be fine, but as soon as he saw the president’s bright smile, all of his confidence crumbled. He definitely had a crush and had to find a way to eliminate those feelings as soon as he could, or he was bound to cause a disaster if he wasn’t careful enough. Which he never was, in fact.

“You look scared.” Kouyou pouted all of a sudden, and Yuu’s cheeks heated up again.

“Wh… what? Me? Why? I… um… but...”

“I’m just messing with you, sorry. You’re just too cute when you get nervous.”

Yuu didn’t think twice before delivering a huge blow on Kouyou’s shoulder with the book in his hand and the taller boy growled, distorting his features in a painful grimace.

“Good god, that hurt.”

“I’m just messing with you, sorry. You’re just too cute when you’re in pain,” Yuu retorted without showing any sympathy or remorse towards the cheeky president, who kept rubbing at the bruised spot with a shaky hand.

"I'm not cute," Kouyou grumbled, his nose scrunched up as he winced while taking his hand off of his wounded shoulder. "If any of the guys heard you say that, they'd have my head. So please, I'd like to keep living. This school needs a Takashima Kouyou!" The president teased, all in all just a method to cover up the fact that Yuu's cheeky response to his own had made something in his chest feel... tight.

"I can say whatever I want, because I'm going to be the one that decides if you pass your math test or not!" Yuu's sudden burst of confidence made Kouyou smile. He seemed to be slowly breaking out of the soft-spoken, easily frightened, shy shell that the new student had worn when Kouyou first met him. At this rate, Yuu wouldn't need Kouyou to help him out around the school anymore.

The thought made his chest feel tight, yet again, and he didn't know why. He frowned just as quickly as his smile had come, his shoulders slouching slightly as he stared at the long sidewalk he was currently treading in step with Yuu beside him.

"What's wrong?" Yuu asked, apparently noticing the president's change in demeanor.

"Um, just... worried about the test, is all." Yeah, that was it. His anxieties were all stemming from how worried he was about the test, and that right there explained his peculiar actions and the tight feelings in his chest.

"Kouyou, it's not that big of a deal. We'll work hard and get you the mark you need. I promise."

"Thanks, Yuu." And his lips formed back into a smile.

~

On the way to his house, Kouyou continued to make small talk to fill the air, Yuu actually responding to some of it this time. The chatter made the half-an-hour walk pass by quickly, and before Kouyou knew it, the pair made it to his luxurious, three-story house, complete with a green lawn, flourishing garden and an archway over the entranceway. He input the assigned code at the gate, stepping back and holding it open for Yuu and allowing him to walk the cobble path that lead to stairs in front of him, and then eventually the front door. It was at this point that Kouyou took the lead again, inserting his key into the door and opening it, stepping inside and closing the door behind Yuu once he had made it in.

"Wow..." Yuu gushed, his eyes wide and in awe as he stared at the high ceilings and sparkling white floors, walls and appliances. Kouyou took off his shoes, a blush apparent on his face because oh, right.

The senior was so used to his luxurious house and his friends' houses, who all happened to have the same sort of living style, and didn't even think about the fact that Yuu might not live under the same conditions. Yuu probably thought he was a spoiled rich kid now, didn't he? That Kouyou probably only had his position in school because daddy paid for it all, that he was actually a snob and not the confident, friendly senior he made himself out to be when he was around Yuu...

"Your house is gorgeous," Yuu raved, and it seemed to be without any sort of malicious or untrusting undertones, to Kouyou's relief. Because he wanted to show Yuu he was better than just his parents' money and his high status.

"Um, thank you, I'm glad you like it," he replied simply, not really wanting to delve into any more of the subject. They had more important matters to discuss. "Do you want anything to eat or drink before we get to tutoring?" He offered as a good host, making his way to the kitchen and already rummaging through the cupboards that happened to be mostly empty. "Or... maybe not. I need to go grocery shopping."

Yuu chuckled at Kouyou's fretting. "It's okay. Where should we go to study?"

"My room, I guess," the president offered, running a hand through his golden strands as he did so.

Yuu smiled gently in return. “Sure, lead the way.” His voice was soft as he spoke, and as Kouyou led them towards the big stairs in the hallway, the boy felt even more nervous than before. He was about to enter his crush’s room and it had only been a couple of days since they met for the first time. Things were escalating faster than he had originally anticipated, and the fact that he was able to spend more time with his senior was pushing his imagination in the wrong direction again. Maybe they could spend more time together, and if they get to know each other better, Yuu would be able to either kill his attraction or at least hope for acceptance from Kouyou—because he was sure there was a trap set especially for him already, and his heart was already falling deeper in it.

As they reached the second floor, Kouyou neared a big white door and Yuu silently followed him behind. The president didn’t forget about his manners though and he opened it, quickly moving to the side, leaving enough room for the student to enter the room first.

The action startled Yuu at first, but he quickly ignored the drumming of his heart and moved pass the blond. However, he hadn’t even moved two steps into the room when a pair of paws hit his stomach with brutal force, which made him stumble back only to fall into Kouyou’s arms a second later. Everything happened fast, but his mind cleared as soon as he realised it was none other than his senior’s hands keeping him on his feet. He was able to feel every curve of the body behind him and he didn’t even feel the pain as the fluffy shiba in front of him jumped on his form again.

“Jesus Christ Shiro, what’s wrong with you?” Kouyou was angry as he released the boy from his warmth, quickly moving in front of Yuu, standing protectively as the dog growled in annoyance. ”Are you kidding me? Yuu is our friend.”

Yuu didn’t dare move anymore as he watched the scene in front of him, his heart melting by the second.

Did... Kouyou really touch him just then?

Was he in heaven?

He felt like a damsel in distress, the blond in front of him being his charming prince, but for the first time in his life, he didn’t mind feeling as weak as he currently did. Even more so, he wanted to return to Kouyou’s arms and stay wrapped in them forever, despite how impossible the desire was.

The president was too concentrated on his dog instead, remaining completely oblivious to the emotional turmoil splattered vividly on Yuu’s face. He kept talking to Shiro as he grabbed him by the collar and pulled the dog outside of his room.

“You are _not_ allowed to enter my room again today, you bad dog! You’ll sleep on the sofa tonight!”

Shiro squealed at that, and Yuu was pushed inside of the room, the door closing after him with a loud bang.

"I'm so sorry about that! Shiro's never done that before, I don't know what's gotten into him," Kouyou stressed, leaning his back against the now-shut door. Shiro's whines could be heard on the other side, but for Yuu's sake, Kouyou knew he had to not give in to his dog's cuteness. He then eyed Yuu, inspecting him for any damage done by the shiba, and sure enough there was some dirt from his paws on Yuu's shirt—but at least no rips. The senior scowled and walked forward, using his hand to wipe the dirt off of the front of Yuu's stomach. "And he even got you all dirty. I'm really sorry."

"It's... it's... it's fine," Yuu stuttered out, seemingly frozen in place as Kouyou continued to wipe the dirt off of him. After a few more wipes he had gotten it all off, straightening his back and placing his hands on his hips as he admired his handiwork of getting all of the dirt off of Yuu's shirt. Good job, Kou!

"Alright. Finally, we can start the tutoring," he sighed, flopping down onto his queen-sized bed. "Do we have to? Math… sucks," he mumbled, placing his hands over his face and grumbling to himself.

"Yes, we do! Math isn't that bad, you just have to give it a chance," Yuu consoled him, still standing in the middle of the room with all of his books and supplies.

Kouyou noticed this, scooching over into the corner and trying to leave the rest of the bed open for Yuu and his supplies. He leaned his back against the wall and crossed his legs. "It won't give _me_ a chance. It hates me," he complained. "Oh, come sit, there's more than enough room," he gestured to the rest of his bed, patting the covers invitingly.

Yuu hesitated, glancing over to the perfectly good desk on the other side of the room. "Your desk is big enough..."

"But it's not comfortable. If I'm doing something as strenuous as math, I have to be comfortable. Now sit down."

And so Yuu complied, albeit with hesitation, and he sat quite a few feet away from Kouyou. "Also... math can't hate anyone. It doesn't have feelings."

"Yes, it can," Kouyou huffed, opening to a page of his textbook that had all of his homework listed on it. "Look at this. X, Y, A B C D, why does math need letters? Clearly it's trying to communicate with me, telling me that it hates me."

This made Yuu laugh. Actually laugh. And the sound of it brought a big, dumb grin to Kouyou's face. "Okay, Kouyou. Maybe math does hate you, but by the end of our tutoring, it'll be your best friend."

"Sure," Kouyou pouted, unconvinced, as he settled his elbow on his knee and rested his head in his hand. "Let's just get it over with."

~

"Oh! Oh my god, I understand it!" Kouyou's big grin didn't leave his face as, finally, things started to piece together in terms of the Subject From Hell, the senior slowly starting to get a grip on calculus under Yuu's guidance. Kouyou had to be taught very, very slowly, and very carefully, because to be frank, his math skills were those of a freshman. Yuu didn't know how Kouyou turned out that way, but he did—but thankfully, Kouyou was starting to get the hang of it all.

"You do? Great, at this rate we should be able to get everything you need to know into your head by exam time," Yuu congratulated him, seemingly pleased with how Kouyou was progressing.

"I'm so lucky to have you as my math tutor. There's no way I'd be able to survive that godforsaken test without it," Kouyou confessed, leaning back against the wall, lifting his arms up in a big stretch. His muscles flexed visibly under his skin, and it was clear he was no weakling.

"I, um, well thank you," Yuu stammered, his lips upturned in a soft smile and his face flushed pink. "Err... am I the first tutor you've ever had?"

Lowering his arms, Kouyou averted his gaze, as though he was embarrassed by what he was about to reveal. "Yeah..."

"Why?"

"I... didn't know who to ask, and frankly, I didn't want to, because as president I have an image to uphold. I can't be seen getting tutored. Even this is risky, considering you're an entire grade below me." Kouyou continued staring at the sheets of his bed, silky strands of his hair falling down and framing his shadowed face. "This is our secret, okay? Please don't tell anyone." And that was that.

"Um... wanna order pizza or something? I think we deserve a break," Kouyou offered in an attempt to change the subject.

As soon as Kouyou mentioned pizza, Yuu’s mood was lifted up instantly.

“Sure, I’m actually pretty hungry. Let’s order something,” he grinned. ”Also… of course, you can trust me. This will be our secret.”

As his last words left his mouth, Yuu felt a different kind of warmth in his chest. He felt special, in... a very odd way. It almost felt like sealing a new bond between him and the older student in front of him. They had a _secret._

Yuu’s skin was on fire as he realised what that meant for him, and the boy cursed himself mentally for what had to have been the hundredth time, knowing that he was falling for Kouyou already.

“Thank you.” Kouyou smiled; his smile was so genuine that the butterflies in Yuu’s stomach went wild. ”We should be able to order something online. Let me just fetch my laptop.”

Yuu remained in his spot as Kouyou got up from the bed and he gathered all of his strength, trying to ease his heart and it’s painful beating.

After Kouyou was finally back with his Macbook, Yuu’s eyes widened. He have never seen one before, and it looked quite flashy and luxurious with its silvery surface and simplistic design. His senior really had money, didn’t he? Yuu suddenly felt sort of embarrassed and he tried to keep his expression intact, but Kouyou managed to see through him somehow, frowning.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Yuu was smiling again, and he watched as the boy threw a suspicious look at him and carefully laid on his stomach after that, placing the laptop in a convenient position for both of them to look at.

Yuu tried to concentrate on the monitor but his eyes traveled to the forms of Kouyou’s back instead, admiring the curve where his shirt was laying atop his strong shoulder blades, the way his spine made a small dive only to rise again and be met with the firm buttocks covered by the black fabric of their school pants…

“Yuu?”

The boy quickly snapped out of his gaze and looked at Kouyou as huge wave of guilt hit him, almost throwing him off his senses. He wasn’t even listening, was he?

“What…?” His voice was as low as a whisper now and he prayed that his senior would ignore it and order that damn pizza already for both of their sakes.

“What pizza do you prefer?”

“Umm… ah…” Yuu stuttered and looked away shyly, his body boiling with the heat emitting from the fire in his brains as he tried to come up with an answer. ”Something with… ch… cheese?”

Kouyou’s eyebrows raised on his forehead and he blinked couple of times, not saying anything in return.

Yuu was getting dumber by the second, though. So much for his excellent record at school….

“ _Pepperoni!”_ He snapped a second later and his heart cringed. “I love pepperoni, just pepperoni will be fine!"

Okay, so Yuu was _very_ passionate about pepperoni. Noted.

"Uhh, pepperoni it is, then," Kouyou gave Yuu an odd look and an awkward laugh before turning his attention back to the computer screen. Something about Yuu was off, in the way he spoke and the way he had acted just then, but Kouyou couldn't put his finger on why. It wasn't the first time Yuu had acted so oddly, either—but Kouyou shrugged it off to the best of his ability, inputting the required details of their order into the website and then his address. Click, click, enter.

"Ordered. Now we wait," Kouyou said, closing the laptop, putting it off to the side and then rolling onto his back. He hummed and patted his stomach over his shirt in a random rhythm as he brainstormed something for the pair to do until the pizza arrived, and at the patting, his shirt hiked up just enough to expose the defined V-lines of his hips without him noticing. He glanced beside him, where Yuu was laying, and met his gaze. Yuu didn't speak; he instead stared back with big, widened eyes, boring into Kouyou's own that were being slightly covered by his confused, furrowed brows.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Yuu froze. "L-like what? What are you talking about?"

"Like... _that_ ," Kouyou shrugged, pointing a finger to Yuu's eyes and wiggling it. Yuu, again, didn't respond—his irises simply focused on the tip of Kouyou's finger, following it as it moved, like an entranced cat looking at one of those red laser dots. Okay, Yuu was acting _really_ bizarre now.

Kouyou scoffed.

And then he took his finger and flicked Yuu right between his eyes.

"Ouch! _Hey!_ " Yuu shrieked as he was successfully yanked out of his weird trance, bringing up his hand and resting the fatty part of his palm upon his wound.

Meanwhile, Kouyou had his arms wrapped around his own stomach as he laughed so hard he was almost wheezing, especially at the sight of how flushed Yuu's face was. "Oh my god!" He bellowed, rolling over onto his stomach as he convulsed with laughter. "You should've seen your face, _bahahaha!"_

"Kouyou! I hate you!" Yuu whined, crossing his arms and pouting as he regained his composure, but to his frustration, Kouyou wasn't letting up.

And then the next thing Kouyou knew was that he'd become best friends with his carpeted floor. "Oof!" He let out a pained groan as he'd landed on the same shoulder Yuu had bruised earlier. Was Yuu out to get his shoulder amputated, or something? However, that was the least of his worries when Kouyou realized Yuu had actually pushed him off of his own bed, and yet, he was still laughing; at Yuu's reaction, and at the overall silliness of the entire situation. Here they were, Kouyou a senior and Yuu a year younger than him, and they were acting like children.

Yet Kouyou couldn't bring himself to care.

And then Yuu's face was peeking over the edge of the bed, down at Kouyou who hadn't moved off of the floor. He had a soft look in his eyes, and Kouyou smiled upon meeting his gaze.

"Sorry. Maybe pushing you off the bed was a bit much.”

Kouyou could only chuckle.

~

Until the pizza arrived, the two teens entertained themselves simply with dumb small talk, Yuu still hanging off the edge of the bed and Kouyou _still_ on the floor.

When the doorbell rang, Kouyou was quick to hop up and snatch his wallet from his night table stand, making his way out of his bedroom with Yuu trailing behind him. The senior sprinted to the door, opened it and then gave the delivery guy the appropriate amount of money. He took the box and bid him a good night.

"Glorious food!" Kouyou chanted, holding the box above his head, and Yuu laughed in return. The boys started to walk back to the stairs, Kouyou holding still holding the pizza box above his head, Yuu walking in front of him.

And then, behind him, could be heard the faintest clicking of something on the tile floor; it got progressively louder, and when Kouyou turned his head to see what it was, it was too late.

"Shiro! _No!_ "

And then in a flash of colours, everything happened so quickly.

Shiro had jumped up on Kouyou's back, catching the senior off-guard as the dog's paws made contact with his body, sending him falling forward and... on top of Yuu.

A loud yell made Yuu turn around, halting in his tracks. He didn’t have time to react as Kouyou’s chest bumped into his with such force, the boy was thrown off guard almost immediately, losing his balance. The pizza boxes flew over his head and his back made contact with the floor a second later, his senior falling on top of him.

Yuu was in shock and he froze as he felt Kouyou moving, praying that the boy would get off him as soon as possible. Despite it all, he couldn’t deny how much he enjoyed how close they were, and the adrenaline in his body was making him feel dangerously flushed and heated up.

Shiro had different plans, though, and the dog jumped on his master, making their chests bump again and Yuu’s eyes widened in even greater shock than before. Kouyou’s locks of hair brushed gently at his face and he was able to sniff at its beautiful sent, which turned his vision blurry for a moment.

“Oh, Christ.  Shiro, get off me.” The blond’s voice was angry this time, and at it, Yuu was shoved back to his senses immediately, feeling the warmth of Kouyou’s body leave him again as the boy managed to get on his feet.

He helped Yuu stand up before glaring at the cute dog that was now sitting a meter away from them. Shiro looked triumphant for some reason, sticking his tongue out and ruffling his fur with a paw as he scratched his collar with it.

“I am _so_ done with you tonight, where are your manners?” Kouyou grumbled while Yuu looked around, spotting the pizza boxes on the floor behind them. He quickly lifted them and examined every inch of the cardboard, smiling widely as he confirmed that there was no damage to it, despite their incident.

“It’s all good,” he was happy to announce, and the blond’s frown softened a little. “Let’s just eat, don’t be mad at Shiro. He was locked outside for too long and probably wanted to play or something.”

Shiro barked in response and growled with familiar disapproval. Yuu almost felt scolded by the dog as his eyes fell on the furry ball again. Why did this dog dislike him so much?

And then... the realization hit him.

“I have a cat.” Both of his companions turned their heads looking at him with obvious confusion. “I cuddled with her this morning, maybe I still have her scent on me and Shiro sensed it.”

“You have a cat?” A strange grin appeared on Kouyou’s face and Yuu felt embarrassed again.

“Yes, I do.”

“Hm, no wonder, I should have figured.”

“Excuse me?” Yuu’s cheeks must’ve been tomato red by now and his blood boiled with frustration. ”If you’re messing with me again, I swear to god I will let Shiro eat the pizza and I will make you watch while he chews.”

“ _No!_ No, not the pizza!” Kouyou almost screamed and waved his hands in the air. “I just thought… I just thought that it suits you, because you’re very quiet yourself…”

Oh...

That was… cute.

But the blond in front of him looked even cuter and Yuu merely watched him for couple of seconds, before he finally gave in and broke into giggles.

They were both laughing all of a sudden and Shiro tilted his head to one side, probably wondering why his master and this intruder were acting so crazy.

Kouyou seemed really happy, though, and his next words sent Yuu into immediate firenzy.

“You know, Yuu, you have such a cute laugh. If only you smiled more; the girls at school would go crazy for you.”

“ _Okay_ , time to eat!”

~

The rest of the evening went by pretty calmly, even though Shiro was allowed in the room after excessive begging from Yuu’s side. The boy tried his best to show the pet his good intentions, even offering a slice of pizza, but he felt watched and quietly judged every time he had Kouyou’s attention to himself. He even wondered if the dog was able to sense the way his hormones stormed inside of him, but that didn’t prevent the boy from easing up and feeling comfortable around his senior.

It was easier to joke around now, and Yuu found that he didn’t mind Kouyou’s cockyness at all. It was making him laugh and he felt happy for the first time in months, letting his guard down and listening to the blond’s ramblings carefully.

The president was interested in many things, jumping from one topic to another and Yuu analyzed every sentence as he learned more about the new target of his affections. Kouyou had huge collection of shiba cards and was very passionate about arts, music being his favorite kind. The way he spoke about it seemed almost romantic to Yuu and he didn’t even realise how quickly time had passed and darkness fell outside, as the clock neared 10 PM and it was time to finally head home.

“Do you think you can tutor me tomorrow, too?” Kouyou asked as he helped the boy, carrying his belongings to the front door.

“I’ll talk with mom and text you.” Yuu sighed as he finished tying his shoes. “It should be fine, though.”

He rose up back on his feet and took all of his belongings smiling gently at Kouyou, who seemed quite proud of himself as he was now allowed to carry Yuu’s stuff. _Finally_.

“How did you get so good at math, though?” The blond scratched his head. “Are you just as good at everything else? I hope I didn’t get you into trouble because you didn’t have time to study for tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry, I’m always 3 lessons ahead,” Yuu revealed without thinking, and Kouyou parted his lips, gasping in shock. ”What? I like to… study. I was in advanced class at my old school and math was the main subject.”

“Sure… well,” the senior said, “I'll see you tomorrow. Have a safe trip home," Kouyou smiled, leaning on the door after he opened it for Yuu, standing back so he could exit. But before he did, the senior had something he wanted to express to his tutor. "And, I... wanted to say thank you, for all this. For tutoring me especially, you've already been a huge help and I'm excited to see how the rest of our sessions go. Do you want, like, payment or something?" He offered, feeling as though he needed something material to show the raven his gratitude.

"No, no. It's not a problem Kouyou," Yuu shook his head, his face evidently flushed with a pink hue. He didn't meet Kouyou's eyes, but Kouyou could see the soft smile on his lips, and how he bit those lips before he spoke. "I don't need any payment."

Kouyou didn't believe that answer. He'd have to figure out some way to repay Yuu, because he'd feel guilty as hell for not giving back to Yuu what Yuu was giving to him. Kouyou was taking so much time out of Yuu's life, and it was unfair. But he merely shrugged, replying with a simple "alright", although he didn't mean it.

And then, with a soft "goodnight" from Yuu, the door had shut and Kouyou was all alone once more. He sighed audibly, and at that sound, soft patters of dog paws could be heard making their way to him. Shiro didn't have that triumphant look he had earlier, nor was he acting the same. He instead nuzzled Kouyou's hand, the friendly, calming dog Kouyou always knew him as, before Kouyou sat down on the floor, giving Shiro a big hug and holding him close, rocking his body.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> terry said she'd tie me up and kidnap me if i didn't post the third chapter today so here yall go //im kidding she asked very politely and i'm too excited about this fic to deny her

The next day passed as usual, Kouyou walking Yuu to his classes and then spending a comfortable lunch with him. After lunch he dropped him off at his class, and as Kouyou made his way to his own, he was stopped by a flash of blond in his vision and then a big collision to his body.

"Akira!"

"Hey, Kou." His childhood friend had his arm wrapped around Kouyou's shoulders and around his neck in a loose choke-hold. "Where have you been lately? Haven't seen you much."

"I've been showing a new student around the school," he replied simply.

"Oh, that new boy with the long black hair? He looks like a chick. Kinda weird. What's his name? You, Yaa..."

"It's Yuu, and he's not weird." Kouyou didn't realize he had snapped at his best friend until he felt the blond flinch.

"You never spend this much time with new students," Akira pointed out with a raised eyebrow. "It's day 3 and you're still spending lunch with him? Come back to our table, man. That Yumi chick is super into you, and she's hot; you'd better scoop her up while you can."

The entire conversation was making Kouyou uncomfortable, and he shrugged Akira off of him. He crossed his arms and, being the taller, stronger one of the two, stared down at Akira intimidatingly. "Akira, I'm the president. I show around new students, and if they need extra help fitting in, I have to help them with that. So I'll be helping Yuu for as long as he needs me."

Akira scoffed, rolling his eyes at how defensive his friend was being. "Alright, man. Whatever." He had a look in his eyes that made Kouyou shift awkwardly; like he knew something Kouyou didn't. "Anyways," Akira spoke again, brushing off the heavy feeling in the air, "I'd better see you at the soccer game tonight." And then he left.

Fuck! Kouyou had tutoring with Yuu tonight, but he couldn't not show up to a game. A practice he could miss, but a game? He had to be there.

An idea struck him moments later, and he pulled out his phone, typing away as he walked to his next class.

Kouyou: Hey Yuu

Kouyou: There's been a change of plans. I forgot I had a soccer game right after school today.

Kouyou: But I still need you to tutor me tonight. So I was wondering if you'd want to come watch my game, and then we can walk to my house afterwards and study?

~

On the other end, Yuu’s heart was drumming in his ears as he read Kouyou’s messages, his lungs clenching tight with excitement.

He had been invited to a soccer game by his crush, which had him grinning like an idiot. He didn’t realize Yutaka was still talking to him excitedly about something and his emotions slipped as he sighed, still staring at his phone. The little device was then quickly snatched from his hands and his classmate laughed out loud as Yuu jumped on him, desperately trying to get it back.

“Yutaka! It’s not funny!” The raven haired student was sweating now, fear splattered on his face which coaxed his friend into laugh even louder.

“Yuu is chatting with a _girl!”_ He teased, drawing out the ‘i’. A few students turned their heads to look at them, causing Yuu’s blush to grow instantly.

“Yutaka, please!” He begged, and thankfully the brunet finally gave in, letting Yuu snatch his phone back.

The boy was breathing heavily as he returned to his seat and stared back at Kouyou’s messages. He tried to calm down and clear his head, but he still wasn’t sure what to do. The president’s proposal meant so much to Yuu and the boy knew he shouldn’t read too much into it, but he still enjoyed the butterflies in his stomach, despite the alarms going off within his head. He quickly typed his reply and locked the device, leaving it on the desk. After lifting his gaze, though, he was met with quite a few curious pairs of eyes staring at him.

“Yuu… do you like someone?” The girl sitting in the row in front of him had a sad look on her face as she asked him the question, which confused the raven. Yuu didn’t even know her name.

“I… I… not really, I was texting my mom, actually...”

 _“Really?_ ” Another girl almost squeaked, and the ring of the bell signalling for their next class echoed through the room a second later.

Thank god, Yuu was saved, but then his ears caught Yutaka’s whisper.

“You must really love your mom, then.”

He was so screwed.

~

The match was about to begin and Yuu was sitting in the middle row, finally calmed down by that point, with Yutaka on his left, chewing madly on a hot dog. The crowd was wild already, half of the students already singing chorus and as Kouyou’s team showed up on the court, everyone screamed to cheer them on.

The team began their final stretch but the blond didn’t join them. Instead, he turned to the audience and searched for something with his eyes. As he found Yuu in the crowd he quickly waved at him, smiling widely as he did so, and Yutaka choked on his hot dog, his eyes growing teary as he gasped for air. Yuu blushed instantly, but didn’t spare a second to curse at himself as he did. He looked at his brunet friend and tried to tap him on his back until the boy raised his hand, assuring the raven that he was fine.

“You… are friends with _Takashima?”_

“Um… I guess… I don’t know?” Yuu didn’t know how to react and simply stared back at his friend as he hyperventilated.

“I knew you eat lunch together, but _he_ actually _greeted_ you? Before the match? I am not okay! How did you do it?”

“What are you talking about?” Yuu was scared, now, but Yutaka didn’t get a chance to reply as they were interrupted by a high pitched voice.

“Hello there Yuu, Yutaka. Can I sit with you?”

The boys turned to their right and the brunet’s last remnants of a hot dog slipped through his fingers, falling on the wood beneath them. The blond girl smiling at them looked familiar to Yuu, but he wasn’t quite sure…

Oh.

“Yumi-chan! Of course, please sit with us. Yuu, move and make some space for the girl!”

Now it was Yutaka’s turn to blush madly and Yuu didn’t need to make a second guess as he finally understood the situation he was in.

This was the girl that followed Kouyou around, and the new student couldn’t help but feel a familiar tinge of jealousy in his heart. He quickly moved to the side, though, and the girl sat right next to him, her hips brushing at his own, invading his comfort zone.

She and Yutaka began to talk through him, but Yuu didn’t care about them at all as he watched the match instead, following Kouyou’s figure with his stern eyes. He caught every move of his body, every expression on his face, and his thoughts began to spiral into a never ending rollercoaster of emotions.

The match was almost over, the hours passing like minutes for the raven haired boy and he watched his senior with gentle smile, completely oblivious to the girl shooting daggers at him as he did so. Everything seemed to be going great for Kouyou when suddenly he got bumped by a boy from his team, landing on his back a second later. Everything happened fast and Yuu grabbed at his seat, panic rushing through him. Kouyou hadn’t stood up, holding his hand in a curled form instead.

“What the hell?” Yuu cursed without realising his emotions were spilling already, and he felt like screaming. He wanted to leave and go to the senior immediately. He wanted to help Kouyou desperately.

He flinched a second later when he felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked at the girl sitting next to him, feeling immediately intimidated. The crowd was loud again, people shouting with disapproval and concern, but Yumi was so close to him that he couldn’t miss her words as they left her lips.

“See… he already has everyone he needs. He doesn’t need _you_.”

Yuu felt chills run down his spine, her words leaving marks and wounds on his heart that made him tremble in newfound agony.

“What?” His voice was barely a whisper as she faked a smile and tapped his shoulder reassuringly.

“Don’t worry, he has me and all of the girls at school, we know how to take care of a boy in need. Kouyou knows it, too, you can ask him. But you—I don’t think you’re interested in us, are you?”

Yuu could only blink, completely stunned by her words. He was speechless, fear clouding his mind, but it lasted mere seconds as Yutaka soon shook him violently, pulling him to his feet.

“Match is over, come on! We have to check on Takashima! _Move!"_

~

Kouyou had to keep his head in the game. He couldn't let himself be distracted by the fact that Yumi had invited herself to sit with Yuu and Yutaka. He had to ignore how the blonde girl was so passively-aggressively talking and looking at Yuu, who seemed so oblivious. He had to forget it all, before—

"Fuck!"

—he had an accident. He'd been bumped by a boy on his team as the president not only fell on his back, but on his hand. He cursed and remained unmoving as he cradled his, what he guessed to be sprained, hand, teeth clenched together as the pain blurred his vision momentarily. The crowd yelled and the match appeared to have stopped, but all Kouyou could think of was his hand, and... Yuu. He'd disappointed Yuu. Kouyou just wanted to give the game his all, allow Yuu to have a good time as he watched the match, and now Kouyou would have to sit out, all because of how he allowed himself to be distracted by something that probably wasn't even of his concern.

Actually, who the fuck was he kidding? Yumi talking to Yuu was _absolutely_ his concern.

"Takashima!"

"Takashima, are you okay?"

"Kouyou, holy shit!"

"Your hand! Can you still play?"

Kouyou's eyes widened as he was painfully yanked back into reality, staring up at the crowd of people who were surrounding him. Mostly girls, some of his own teammates, but not a sight of who he wanted most to be with him. The thought brought back the familiar, confusing tightening of his chest as he wondered where Yuu was.

"Back up, everyone back!" Kouyou heard Akira's thundering voice amongst the chaos, the blond stepping in front of him and shooing the surrounding crowd away. "He's not going to get better with all of you crowding him. Give him space."

Kouyou shot Akira an appreciative glance; the sudden attention and crowding was suffocating, and as he finally had some space to himself, he managed to push himself up to a sitting position, albeit with a wince as he continued holding his hand.

"That includes you, Yee."

"His name is Yuu, Akira," Kouyou wheezed, as the initial blow to the floor had knocked the wind out of him. Yuu was there? "Where is he?" Kouyou glanced around, frantically trying to catch sight of the raven-haired, and sure enough he was standing at the edge of the crowd beside Yutaka, a worried look in his big, dark eyes. The look of him like that made Kouyou's heart clench; he shouldn't have had to see Kouyou like this.

And then Kouyou was shakily standing up, giving one last glance to the worried crowd, and storming off to the change room, clutching his wounded hand to his chest in shame.

~

"Fuck!"

The poor, spongy mat in the change room was being beaten by Kouyou's angry, non-wounded hand as he swore, as he clenched his jaw and finally rested his sweaty forehead upon the cool tile of the wall, his energy spent and his frustration boiling.

He'd fucked up.

"Shima?" Kouyou heard a voice sound from the entrance of the change room, the creaky door opening and closing upon the entrance of who Kouyou knew instantaneously to be Akira. He didn't want to see Akira. He didn't want to see anybody.

He didn't want to see anybody except for Yuu, so he could apologize. Yet he was too embarrassed to go back out there, to show himself, to speak to Yuu. Kouyou was angry, a bundle of unclear emotions, and he couldn't pinpoint a reason for any one of them.

"Get out," Kouyou growled, unable to face Akira as his childhood friend stepped cautiously towards him.

"Kou." Akira's voice was soft, not the mocking tone of voice Kouyou had expected from his friend. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing." There was nothing up with him. He was his normal self.

"You've never stormed off like that before, even when you've gotten injured in the past."

"So-fucking-what?" Kouyou punched the mat again. "It doesn't matter." His answers were short and his anger was threatening to spill.

Akira sighed, knowing that Kouyou was in no mood to talk.

"Be careful, Kouyou."

And then he left the change room, leaving Kouyou to choke back angry, confused, dry sobs.

~

Kouyou exited the change room through the back door. He didn't want to risk going out into the gymnasium, in front of the public, and only once he composed himself after changing back into his school uniform (very slowly and with much difficulty, his hand was definitely pooched) did he have the courage to take out his phone and send a text to Yuu, hand shaking as he typed. He couldn't just leave Yuu in the dark, and he still needed the new student to tutor him, regardless of the fucked-up situation that had just happened.

Kouyou: Yuu

Kouyou: Can you meet me at the back of the school please

~

Yuu was sitting on a bench near the school entrance while Yutaka spoke with his mom over his phone. The night had already fallen upon them, the park still full of students preparing to go home after the match was over. His heart was still racing in his chest, panic overwhelming him with its torment as his mind recalled Yumi’s last words to him. He didn’t know what to do this time, fully aware that his secret was revealed. It happened in the matter of days, on top of that. He thought that Kouyou would be the one to see through him and he completely forgot about the people surrounding him. Especially that girl and her obvious possessiveness over his senior. She didn’t have any proof, though… and he was sure she would remain silent about her discovery until she got some.

Regardless, he was scared. The pain in his chest was real as flashbacks blurred his vision and memories of his past school flooded his mind. He had just moved to this place, his mother had given up on many things, including his father, and it was all because of his little secret that he never managed to keep.

He didn’t want to lose Kouyou and that thought alone frightened him. He couldn’t afford to have that happen, especially not now after his feelings had grown so much.

He had accepted his fate a long time ago, as his luck always projected his affection towards the worst guys possible.

He was worried sick now, because the memory of Kouyou falling and getting injured was still vivid in his mind.

“Yuu, are you alright?” Yutaka’s voice distracted him all of a sudden and Yuu was pulled out of his emotional torment.

“Yeah.” He replied simply, slowly looking around them, noting the park was suddenly almost empty.

“We should go home.” Yutaka offered him a smile, but Yuu shook his head.

“No, you can go. I can’t do that yet.”

“Are you waiting for the president?”

Yuu’s eyes widened slightly and he tried to come up with a good reason to justify his refusal to go home yet, but with no success. Or maybe… he was just paranoid without reason, and there was no harm in telling the truth.

“I’ll wait for him a bit longer and then I’ll go home. I promise.” His lips curved in a small smile, Yutaka looking uncertain for a moment.

“Alright then, but you have to text me once you get home!”

“Sure,” Yuu nodded, hoping that it was enough to convince his friend that everything was fine. Thankfully, it seemed to work, because soon after that he was left alone on the bench.

The boy was just as scared as moments ago, but he remained in his spot, convinced that he was doing the right thing. Maybe Kouyou didn’t want to see anyone… including Yuu, and the raven was waiting for any sign of the opposite like an idiot, his feelings for the blond taking their toll on him. And yet he didn’t care anymore—he was desperate, and he and wanted to see his senior. Hell, he probably wouldn’t even be able to sleep tonight unless he made sure Kouyou was alright.

Maybe if he… called him? Texting probably wouldn’t do the job, Yuu figured.

But as those words crossed his mind, the phone in his pocket vibrated, making him jump in his spot.

Yuu quickly rose to his feet and checked his messages, feeling slight relief as Kouyou’s name popped up on the screen. His breathing quickened again and his cheeks heated up with the familiar warmth emitting from his heart.

Yuu didn’t wait or gave a second thought to it as he ran to the back of the school, following the directions of Kouyou’s request. The blond wanted to see him, even after everything that had happened tonight, and the new student felt special again, oddly happy that their day hadn’t ended yet.

When he finally reached Kouyou’s form, he saw a gentle smile on his face. It looked genuine and warm, but his eyes were sad and the sight made Yuu’s heart sink deep into his stomach.

“Kouyou, are you alright?” He asked, his breathing heavy as he gasped for air after the running he had done.

“Yes, it’s nothing major, really.” The president stretched out his arm as if to support his statement, but winced in pain. “It’ll be fine but… Yuu, I’m sorry.” The sad look in his eyes fell even lower as he continued. “I failed today, and you had to see it... I’m really sorry.”

“Are you serious? You were amazing,” Yuu scoffed, noticing the way Kouyou’s eyes lit up instantly. “You scored so many goals, and even saved the game a couple of times. There was this guy that tried to break your defense and attacked your teammate too, but you protected him. You truly deserve to be the captain of the team. You were so great… I wish I could do the things you did.”

Yuu realised he had rambled too much, but it was too late. He shut his mouth and stared at Kouyou, waiting for the older boy to mess with him or mock him again, but none of that happened. Instead, the senior gazed at him fondly, Yuu’s attention to the better details of his game uplifting his crushed spirits without effort.

“Thank you, Yuu.”

And then Yuu’s heart melted completely, all of his panic and his fear being wiped away from his mind. He forgot about Yumi; forgot about his past. He stared at the senior’s eyes that had claimed his heart already. He was here, now, and the blond looked for none other than Yuu’s comfort, didn’t he? It felt like they were getting closer, after all. To a point where Yuu could show him more of his good sides. Maybe grow even closer.

“I’m sorry I made you wait, though. But I couldn’t fail _again_ and not stand by my word for the tutoring today too. I’m glad you were still nearby. We can head home now, if you want?”

…Or maybe not.

"Yeah... yeah, okay." Kouyou didn't miss the slight slumping of Yuu's shoulders when the raven responded, but Kouyou didn't pry. He was just relieved that Yuu wasn't upset with him for what happened at the game and that their tutoring session could continue as scheduled. At that, Kouyou bobbed his head in a nod and started walking in the direction of his house, paying close attention to his surroundings to make sure that no students were there to spy on them—it was different when he was with Yuu at school, because students knew it was part of Kouyou's job to show new ones around, but spending time after school with a new student? Unheard of, and Kouyou didn't even want to think about what rumours the study body could possibly muster up if the two teens were seen together after school.

Kouyou stayed silent most of the way, for once. His mind was so busy and yet so _blank_ at the same time; he couldn't think properly, he didn't even _want_ to think at all... Until he remembered something that made his fists clench involuntarily, making him wince as he forgot about his wounded one.

"Yuu." His voice was dark as he spoke lowly. "I want you to stay away from Yumi."

He didn't speak the rest of the way.

~

Once they entered Kouyou's large, luxurious house, Kouyou released a big sigh. He could finally let his guard down in the confines of his own home, and around Yuu. He kicked off his shoes and gathered his things, but not without another sharp pain in his wounded hand. He should probably get some tape on it.

"Yuu, I hate to ask you for this, but..." Hesitantly, the senior glanced at the kitchen, inwardly cringing as he spoke, "there's a first-aid kit in the top shelf above the fridge. Can you get it for me, please? I need to tape up my hand, and I'd get it myself, but I can't climb when my hand's like this." Who the fuck decided to have the first-aid kit in such an unreachable place?

"Oh, yes, sure," Yuu nodded, walking over to where Kouyou had pointed out to him. Kouyou trailed behind him, standing close once they'd arrived—and thank god he did, because more than once Kouyou had to reach out and grab Yuu's hips to stable the raven when he was climbing up onto the tall countertop.

Meanwhile, Yuu almost felt like crying as soon as he felt the senior’s hands on him, his heart racing in his chest and making him feel uneasy yet oh so _happy_ as a result of their newfound close proximity. The boy didn’t even realize the way his movements slowed down as he relished in the moment, enjoying those large hands on his hips, but then….Yuu quickly snapped out of it once he had finally grabbed the kit.

Thankfully, there were no other mishaps, and Yuu managed to retrieve the box safely. Kouyou thanked him before taking the tape out of it and wrapping his hand, and then storing the kit in a much more easily-accessible place.

"There, that's better. Let's go upstairs," he said after flexing his taped hand a couple of times to make sure the fabric was secure. Yuu nodded and then the two were off.

~

"Um, would it be okay if I showered really quickly? I feel gross after the game, and I probably stink," Kouyou asked after he and Yuu dumped their study supplies onto his bed. "I'll be ten minutes. I'm sure you can find something in my room to entertain you; my guitars are in my closet, if you want to play with them," he offered, gesturing to the door in his room.

"S-s-sure," Yuu stammered, and Kouyou shot him a quizzical look.

"Uh... okay, thanks." And then Kouyou was turning away from Yuu, unbuttoning his shirt and ridding himself of it—because guys could be shirtless in front of each other, couldn't they? Kouyou was shirtless in the change room in front of his friends all the time.

His smooth skin still had a sheer layer of sweat on it from his game, giving his body a pleasant shine. He threw his shirt into his laundry hamper before grabbing new clothes from his drawers, opening the door to the bathroom that was attached to his bedroom. He stepped inside and did the rest of his undressing there before turning the spray on, and turning it hot as he attempted to drown out the memories of today's events.

In the bedroom, Yuu was hyperventilating.

He sat on the bed and could only _stare_ at the laundry hamper in which Kouyou had just thrown his shirt into. His eyes were teary from all of the adrenaline that his body was struggling to handle. He couldn’t stop cursing his luck as he thought about the sight of Kouyou’s _naked_ torso. He had just eyed his every curve yesterday, but _clothed_ , and seeing it uncovered now was more than he could handle. His teenage hormones were out of control and he could swear he almost felt a certain tension forming in his groin. He hoped and prayed that Kouyou wouldn’t dress infront of him once his bath was done, because that was something Yuu knew would end him. Christ, the boy couldn’t understand how he even ended up in this situation in the first place. Like he couldn’t fall for some moderately normal student with normal hobbies and average looks, no, he had to fall for the boy that _everyone_ wanted and lusted after. Kouyou surely had enough of the students’ attention already, and Yuu took a moment to wonder if he had any qualities worth the president’s attention. He studied a lot, yes, but not because he loved it. He just prefered to occupy his mind with boring facts and formulas instead of diving into the darkest realms of his thoughts. He never considered himself smart. He lacked the looks as well, as all of the males around him seemed to like girls instead.

Kouyou liked girls, which prompted Yuu to suddenly ask himself…. what type of girls, exactly?

He especially asked Yuu to stay away from Yumi today and that tugged at his heart painfully. She was… considered pretty, he guessed, and judging by Yutaka’s behavior at the match, she was everyone’s type as well. What if Kouyou… liked her?

A sudden click startled the boy and his heart froze. Kouyou emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed and Yuu gulped hard as he watched him buttoning his shirt.

“You…” the blond looked at him, amused. “You haven’t moved since I left you. Why didn’t you… do something, instead of waiting?”

“Oh, it’s fine. I’m just a little tired.” Yuu blushed for what had to be the hundredth time.

The boy just had to admit that this was a permanent stain on his face and was going to remain like this as long as Kouyou was part of his life.

“Oh… I’m sorry. If that’s the case, are you sure tutoring is fine tonight?”

“Of course,” Yuu nodded, offering the older boy a smile hoping it would ease the sudden awkwardness that filled the air between them.

His eyes traveled down to where Kouyou was still struggling with the buttons and the boy bit his lip nervously.

“Yuu…” his senior pouted as he continued. “Can you help me please…? Just this time.”

Yuu gulped… _again_ , and harder than before, his eyes locked on the buttons as hesitation glued him to the spot. He knew he couldn’t deny the blond of anything at this point, but he wasn’t sure if his heart would handle the turmoil of buttoning the senior’s shirt like this.

Kouyou was waiting for him, though, and after several seconds more, Yuu stood up from the bed and walked closer to his senior, his fingers taking on the job and buttoning his shirt with quick, swift motions.

Yuu’s body temperature was boiling hot one more as he tried to avoid glancing at the taller student. But god, he was so close that Yuu could feel a slight warm sensation gracing his face. It couldn’t be anything else but Kouyou’s breath as he exhaled, and Yuu’s heart was ready to burst when he heard faint, clunky noises echo through the room. They both turned their heads towards the door to find Shiro’s dark eyes watching them, the dog growling so loudly, so menacingly, that Yuu found himself withdrawing his hands from Kouyou’s shirt instantly.

Kouyou locked eyes with his dog as he could feel the fabric of his shirt draping back down over his flat stomach when Yuu released the buttons.

"Shiro, what the hell is wrong with you?" The senior's eyebrows furrowed as he scolded the mutt, walking towards the door to shut it and rid himself and Yuu of the annoying shiba—only to be met with a set of jaws clamping down on the front of his shirt, where Yuu had done up the buttons, and tearing the fabric open.

"Goddammit, Shiro! I like this shirt!" He yelled in frustration, trying to pry the dog off of him. Eventually the canine let go, but not without stealing a big chunk of Kouyou's shirt with him, leaving the blond senior with a massive hole from the bottom of his pecs all the way to the bottom of his navel, leaving his entire abdomen on display. He blinked a few times as he watched the dog trot off down the hallway as though nothing happened, still carrying the fabric in his mouth. Kouyou slowly turned around and shut the door, leaning his back against it.

"That fucking dog. He never does anything like that," he muttered, looking down at his ripped and, ultimately ruined, shirt. "Yuu, did you put a curse on my dog? He only acts weird when you're here," he chuckled, trying to make light of the situation—but for some reason, Yuu didn't respond. He seemed frozen where he stood, staring wide-eyed at Kouyou, and Kouyou shielded his body self-consciously.

"Um... Let me put another shirt on," he said to break the silence, rummaging through a drawer and pulling out a shirt without buttons, because he didn't think Yuu was in any state to help him with that again. He pulled off (what was left of) his shirt, throwing it in the trash before slipping on the new one.

"Okay, Jesus... Sorry about that. We should start the tutoring now."

This time, Yuu actually gave a small nod in response, and sat down on the bed beside their supplies. Kouyou followed suit with a sigh. He hated math and he hated studying, but if he was being honest, Yuu as his tutor made it all worth it. He was unlike any new student Kouyou's ever had before; he was interesting, like there was always something new to learn about him. He was mysterious, and it intrigued Kouyou. Maybe the two of them could become good friends, after all. Kouyou couldn't recall a single new student he'd made a lasting friendship with. The thought of Yuu being the first made him smile softly.

~

"So you substitute the x with 3, and then—"

"Yuu?"

"Hm?"

"Can I listen you you play guitar?"

"Can you… _what?!"_ Yuu shrieked in response, visibly shocked by Kouyou's sudden request. It was totally out of the blue, so Kouyou understood the reaction—but when the thought came to him he couldn't help but speak it aloud, especially not now when his attention span was decreasing by the second.

"I remember you telling me that you played, so I want to hear you play. Come on, we need to take a break, my head hurts."

Yuu shook his head vigorously. "No, no, I'm really not that good—"

"Neither am I. Come on, Yuu!" And then Kouyou was hopping off of the bed, his hand wrapped around Yuu's small wrist and pulling the raven with him to his closet. He let go and then opened the door, revealing an extensive collection of guitars and equipment. Yuu's jaw went agape and Kouyou rubbed the back of his nape shyly. "Um... so just... choose whichever one you want and I'll plug you into an amp."

Yuu immediately went for a black ESP, albeit shyly, tracing his fingers delicately over every curve of the shiny instrument. "All of this must have cost a fortune..."

At that, Kouyou went still. "Err, yeah... is that the one you want to try?" He quickly asked in an attempt to change the subject.

Yuu sat down on a nearby chair, the guitar sitting so perfectly in his lap. The shiny black material of the instrument matched so well with his big, dark eyes and his long, silky hair... Wait, what?

"Um, yeah, if that's okay," Yuu murmured, visibly enamoured with the guitar. Kouyou was quick to fetch him a pick and plug him into an amp, and at that, Kouyou took a seat on the floor in front of Yuu, watching him intently as he strummed his first chord, and then his second, and his third, until he was playing a beautiful melody that Kouyou felt himself getting lost in.

Yuu was completely engrossed in the moment as he played the notes carefully. There was a certain flow going on in his head, his nerves calming and and being put at ease as the melody served as a soothing touch to them. He managed to forget about his troubles again, leaving only Kouyou in his mind, as he drowned in his feelings towards the boy, letting them lead his fingers a moment later. Soon, the notes became lower and caressed his heart in a way that made Yuu tense up all of a sudden, feeling a certain someone’s gaze fixated on him as he played. And just like that, his fingers finally slipped and an ill tone hit his ears, causing him to frown and withdraw his hands from the strings immediately.

“Oh… I’m so sorry.” Yuu looked at the blond, and was surprised to see a huge grin on his face instead of the disappointment he had expected. “What’s… so funny?”

“Nothing.” Kouyou merely shrugged his shoulders, his grin growing wider. “It was really beautiful. Please play more for me Yuu.”

“Absolutely not.” The raven-haired boy had had enough of his feelings for today. He already felt vulnerable and couldn’t allow himself to showcase any of it to the boy who had caused it in the first place.

“Please, Yuu! I’ll get you pizza again!”

“No.”

“What can I do to bribe you, then?”

At that, Yuu’s imagination went wild and he was quickly embarrassed by the sudden ideas in his head. The situation was dangerous, and he had to get away from his own thoughts immediately.

“Break is over, we have to study.”

_“Yuuuuu.”_

The younger boy tried to raise up from the chair, but the blond grabbed his hip and successfully forced him back down ontp his seat. His groin reacted immediately to the touch, and Yuu wanted to _cry._

“Okay. I have one condition then,” he snapped. “If you pass your exam, I will play as much as you want.”

Kouyou’s eyes looked cheerful, before a strange spark formed in them a second later.

“We’ll play _together_ if I pass.”

Yuu had managed to set up an even more terrible trap for himself and the boy gulped hard, realizing he couldn’t back down on this modified version of his lame attempt to save himself.

“Okay, we will.”

And at that, the deal was sealed.


	4. Chapter 4

Yuu chewed on his food slowly, feeling worry fill his heart as he watched the president sitting across the table. Kouyou looked sleep-deprived, and as he went through his notes one last time, his frown only deepened on his face.

“Oh, god, I don’t remember anything.”

“That’s because you didn’t study until the last moment,” Yuu scolded him. “I told you, you should’ve rested yesterday, because if you don’t, your mind will be too exhausted before the actual exam.”

“Okay, fine, I get it. You’re the nerd here. I should have trusted your words.”

“I’m not a nerd.” Yuu’s eyes darkened as he spoke and he looked away, not wanting to delve into the matter any further. It hurt a little to hear him say that, especially since the student had done his best to grant the blond with as much of his time as he physically could, just to prepare him for this exam.

“Yuu, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that, I was just joking. You know me, right? I wasn’t serious.”

Did he? They’d known each other for only a week and, despite how close he felt to the blond already, Yuu couldn’t feel close  _ enough  _ as his heart’s desires had grown drastically in such a short period of time. He never felt like this, even though he could swear he had loved and once felt dedication similar to this towards another person before.

“I know, it’s okay.” He was  _ totally  _ into Kouyou now, and there was no going back.

“How is my dummy of a captain doing before the exam?”

A tall blond suddenly appeared next to Kouyou, slamming his hand down onto the president’s shoulder and earning a wince from him.

“God, Akira, that hurt.”

Yuu watched silently as they threw a couple of curse words at each other and the strange student finally sat on the chair next to Kouyou, chewing on his food a second later.

“Yuu… this is my childhood friend, Suzuki Akira. Akira, this is Shiroyama Yuu, please be nice.” Kouyou tried to introduce his friend and Yuu’s eyes examined the newcomer’s appearance, firstly staring at the odd strap covering his nose. His eyes were dark, but had a cheerful look to them. The smile curving the boy’s lips was gentle, and he looked like a nice person in Yuu’s eyes, despite the intimidatingly flashy look of his hair and the messy ruffled uniform he wore.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Yuu spoke gently and felt strangely out of place, suddenly aware about his own appearance. He liked to look neat, his uniform always being in its best shape and he took good care of his hair, as growing it long meant some extra care to be thrown into it. He looked neat, yes, but maybe  _ too  _ neat, as he looked around and realized he was the only boy who seemed to take care of his appearance this much. It rang an alarm in his head and he felt hot all of a sudden.

“Oh…” Akira drew the student’s attention again, and Yuu stared, trying to figure out the look on his face. “You’re pretty. I told you he looks like a girl, Kouyou.”

“Didn’t I tell you to be nice, idiot?”

“Kou’s just  _ so  _ cute when he’s angry,” Akira played, looking at Yuu and laughing as his hand ruffled the president’s hair quite violently.

“Stop, Akira! My head hurts!”

"Your everything hurts. At this rate you'll become fragile; how can we have a fragile captain?" Akira teased his best friend, nudging him on the shoulder slightly.

"Fuck you, I'm not fragile," Kouyou snapped back, staring down menacingly at his stupid math notes.

"Oh, no. You're mister macho-president, coming to the rescue of new students and acting as the prince they've always dreamed of. Isn't that right?"

Something about Akira's tone rubbed Kouyou the wrong way. He was joking, but he also... wasn't. The president sent him a piercing glare, just daring him to speak again. "No, Akira."

"Really? I'd say Yuu here would agree. Don't you, Yuu? I think Kouyou makes an excellent prince."

"Akira. Shut the fuck up," Kouyou snapped again, not wanting to subject Yuu to an uncomfortable situation aroused by the weirdo that was his best friend Akira. The blond's tone and words were certainly beginning to spark a fire inside of him, and his glare was so sharp it had the ability to cut.

"I'm just kidding, Kou. Lighten up," Akira scoffed, throwing his arm around the president's shoulder without a care in the world. "You're so tense, do you need to get laid? I'm sure Yumi would be more than willing—"

"Akira, it's time for you to leave. I need to study." Kouyou's irritation was boiling, and for some reason, his face was red, which led him to slouching over and almost literally burying his face in his notes.

"Ohh," Akira hummed, a realization coming to him. "I get it. Not into blondes, right? How about a black-haired beau instead?"

_ "Goodbye, Akira!!” _

"Hey, man. I'm just trying to do you a favour here," Akira said as he stood up from his chair after Kouyou's outburst, his hands up in defence. "Good luck on your test." He patted Kouyou's shoulder tenderly, and then he was gone.

"Oh my god, he's an idiot. I love him, he's my best friend and we've been friends since we were kids, but because of that he thinks he can get away with anything around me," Kouyou rambled, rubbing his temples and then taking a sip of water, hoping it would help reduce the redness in his face that was still there. It was probably just because he was angry. Yeah. "Sorry if he made you uncomfortable, he has the ability to do that..."

"Um, n-no it's fine," Yuu stuttered, and Kouyou figured he was indeed pretty shaken up by the encounter with Akira. Poor thing.

"I should... probably get back to studying. Can you explain this formula one more time?"

~

"Breathe, Kouyou. You'll ace this test, I promise," Yuu assured the senior before he stepped inside of his classroom, Kouyou having walked to it with him yet again.

"But Yuu, oh god, I'm so stupid," the president replied in hushed whispers, not wanting anybody around him to hear about his insecurities. His breathing rate had increased when the reality of it all came crashing down on him, his eyes wide and full of anxieties.

"Kou... I wouldn't have helped you if I didn't think you could do this," Yuu told him, and it eased the president's nerves ever so slightly. So... Yuu had seen potential in him? The thought made his chest tighten (again) and his lips curl into a smile. "I'll meet you afterwards and you can tell me how it went."

"Thanks, Yuu," Kouyou's smile couldn't be concealed as the raven's soothing voice calmed him. "See you." And then he turned away, walking to his math class and preparing himself for the worst.

He had to pass it. He  _ would  _ pass it. For Yuu and his selfless efforts that Kouyou truly didn't deserve.

~

Yuu was nervous and he couldn’t pay attention to his class at all. It was his first lesson in the art course that Kouyou had suggested to him, and the boy was more than happy to be participating in such activities again, but his thoughts kept drifting into another direction. He loved art, and it was one of the things that used to calm him down every time he was under pressure that felt unbearable.

It wasn’t working today, though.

Despite that art was one of his favorite subjects, a certain blond refused to leave his mind, no matter how hard the raven tried to concentrate on the lesson. He rubbed at his temples and his thoughts drifted back to the lunch he had with Kouyou and his friend Akira. That boy seemed kind and funny, but his words had left quite a different impact on Yuu. He couldn’t deny Kouyou was like a prince to him, but now he wondered if they really were friends after all. He did help prepare the senior for his exam and he also had permission to play his guitars as long as he liked, but that seemed just like a fair deal that they had, not something more as the raven hoped. Not only that, but Kouyou seemed to be like a huge role model to everyone, so maybe after today… things would change. Yuu couldn’t help but wonder if the president would still eat his lunch with him, after today.

His insecurities were hitting him harder than ever, and as he took a final glance at his sketches, he was terrified to see his senior’s silhouette on all of them.

The class was soon over, and after handing their works to the teacher, Yutaka escorted Yuu to their lockers. The boy had brought some history books that he took from his old school’s library, and his classmate seemed quite interested in them, considering he was World War 2 freak. As soon as he opened his locker, though, Yuu frowned as a small envelope fell in front of his feet. The paper was a bright shade of pink and he quickly lifted it from the floor, examining it for any signs.

“Oh my god…” His friend trailed off and Yuu saw him gasping in shock. “This... is a love letter.”

Almost all of the students around them stopped what they were doing and Yuu felt their eyes on him. His hands began to shake as Yutaka opened his mouth again.

“You have to open it! I wonder who sent it? Or... it’s probably anonymous.”

“No way, Yutaka. I doubt anyone would be interested in me, no one even knows me yet...”

“Open it, then,” the brunet challenged him, obviously excited by the letter in Yuu’s hands. Surely this was going to end badly for the raven, and he was afraid, but still moved his fingers to open the envelope, taking a look at the paper as he unfolded it.

As he read, his cheeks heated up and he blushed like mad. The words written on it were kind… and sweet. This person actually thought he was smart and beautiful, and his voice was pretty and…

“Oh my god, let me see!” Yutaka snatched the paper out of Yuu’s hands, who only flinched, then remained motionless like a statue.

His classmate quickly skimmed through the letter, before he… sniffed it.

“Oh, it smells  _ so  _ good.”

“What smells good?”

Kouyou had magically emerged next to them and Yuu went speechless seeing Yumi standing behind him, a dangerously malicious smile splattered on her face.

“Oh my god!” She squealed and quickly moved closer to Yutaka who blushed like mad, his eyes locked on her unbuttoned shirt.

Yuu’s insides stirred, suddenly feeling ill and sick.

“This is personal,” he snapped all of a sudden, and there was a deadly silence that followed his words.

The boy was furious, the skin on his face still flustered as he snatched the latter back in his hands.

He quickly took out the books and gave them to the speechless Yutaka, before locking his locker and storming down the corridor.

"Yuu, wait!" Kouyou called after the new student who'd suddenly bolted down the hallway without so much as a second glance at the others, about to run after him but to be held back by a manicured hand on his shoulder. He cringed at the sweet voice that entered his ear canal just seconds later.

"Don't worry, Kouyou," Yumi whispered with a voice dripping of malice, pressing her body up against the president. "He won't be an issue anymore."

_ An issue? _ What the fuck was she on about? Kouyou didn’t stop to think. He shrugged her off and sprinted down the hallway after Yuu.

"Yuu!" The senior called, finally catching up to the raven in a, thankfully, pretty secluded area of the school, where no other students seemed to be hanging about. The knowledge calmed his nerves; he didn't know what the fuck was going on, and he certainly didn't need the prying eyes of outsiders right now. "Yuu, please," he breathed, the shorter boy in front of him still walking fast and not turning around to face him. In a bout of spontaneous anger, his large hand reached out to roughly grab Yuu by the wrist and spin him around. Kouyou caught sight of the pink love letter in his hand, and his grip on Yuu instinctively wound tighter.

"K-Kouyou, let go, that hurts."

At the sound of Yuu's soft, pained voice, Kouyou did as he was told. He didn't want to hurt Yuu.

The two boys stood with their gazes averted, an awkward tension was heavy in the air, and Kouyou knew he had to say something—but what? So many thoughts floated around in his mind, he didn't know which ones to suppress and which ones to express. He took a deep breath and finally gathered the courage to meet Yuu eye-to-eye; he almost regretted it, because the look and emotion in Yuu's orbs was so unreadable it was almost frightening.

Kouyou gathered his thoughts as best as he could before he spoke, and when he did, his voice was hoarse. "Is that your first love letter?"

"Yes," came the simple reply, and Kouyou could see Yuu's hands clutch the paper tighter.

"I'm... I'm happy for you, Yuu," Kouyou lied to himself aloud. Even if Yumi wrote the letter, Kouyou had no right to deny Yuu his own life, and if he wanted to spend it with Yumi, the president was in no place to object. Besides, it would be good for Yuu to get out into the dating pool; especially considering he was a new student, the love letter must have been a great boost to the raven's self esteem.

At every little lie he told himself in his mind, trying to convince himself that this was best for Yuu, Kouyou found his own fists clenching tighter and tighter by his sides.

"Um, thank you... the person who wrote it seems... to really like me."

That one, small sentence was enough to take the lid off of the boiling pot that was Kouyou's unreasonable anger and allow it to overflow over the sides.

"No," Kouyou growled lowly, watching as Yuu took a step back. "No. No, I won't allow this." And then he ripped the letter from Yuu's grasp and tore the godforsaken thing to shreds before dumping it on the floor, not bothering to read it or acknowledge its contents. He didn't want to. He didn't want to know what bullshit Yumi spouted to Yuu. "Yumi wrote the letter, Yuu. And I don't want you anywhere near her. Do you understand me?" The senior bellowed, his voice raised as he stood tall and intimidating over Yuu, his dark eyes blazing into the other's. Yuu flinched and shrunk, his shoulder slouched as he stared at the shredded letter on the ground. What had gotten into Kouyou?!

Was it because he... liked Yumi, and was jealous of Yuu getting a letter from her? Or maybe they already had something going on, and Kouyou didn't want Yuu interfering...

"Do you understand, Yuu?!"

"Y-y-yes!" Yuu practically whined, his eyes watering ever so slightly at the sight of a Kouyou he'd never seen before, and hoped to never see again.

That was, if they ever spoke again.

"Good." In the next second, Kouyou was gone.

~

Kouyou didn't stay for his last class. He faked sick so he could go home early, because he couldn't stand the thought of staying in the building that he'd completely let himself go in. He couldn't believe he snapped at Yuu like that, and he would never forgive himself. How could he, when Yuu wasn't in any wrong? Kouyou should have left Yuu be; the letter was none of Kouyou's business, Yuu's love life was none of his business. Fuck,  _ Yuu  _ wasn't any of Kouyou's business. He was just a new student that Kouyou had to show around.

...If that was true, then why were Kouyou's eyes watering when he picked up the same guitar Yuu had strummed beautifully the previous night, when he tried to mimic the notes Yuu had played? When the raven came to mind, when Kouyou went to bed with Shiro cuddled up to him, why did his heart hurt so much? Why did his chest ache beyond repair at the knowledge that he'd fucked everything up, even though there was nothing for him to fuck up?

~

Yuu entered his home in a hurry, quickly getting rid of his shoes, and he was ready to run down the corridor and hide in his room when his mom suddenly called out for him from the kitchen.

“Yuu, sweetheart, are you back?”

Oh, right. She was supposed to work from home today.

Yuu’s thoughts raced in his head as he froze in his spot, unsure of what to do. He quickly wiped away the liquid still spilling from his eyes, letting out a sob as he did so. He couldn’t believe how weak he felt, but he didn’t regret the tears he shed as his heart felt a lot lighter than it did earlier. But despite its lesser weight, it was still broken, and he swore he could feel every new crack as it appeared on its surface.

He wanted to run away from everything and everyone, but his mom appeared in the hallway with a concerned look on her face.

“Dear, what’s wrong?” She asked with a soft voice, and Yuu kept staring at her silently, still not sure what he should do.

“Is it… Kouyou?” She guessed, and the mere mention of the boy’s name was enough for Yuu to feel his eyes watering again. He couldn’t stand this anymore and he sobbed, walking past his mom as he let his pained voice spill from his mouth.

“I want to be alone.”

And without saying another word, the boy ran down the corridor and slammed the door of his room behind him, drowning in a  _ very much familiar _ torment of unrequited feelings he had to experience once more.

~

A few days had passed since the incident Yuu had with his very first love letter. The boy never returned to the school cafeteria since then, instead opting to spend all of his free time in the library. He was too afraid to meet Kouyou after their fight and he tried his best to avoid him. The president didn’t look for him, nor showed up to walk him around, either, and Yuu tried to fill his mind with as many meaningless facts as possible, going through book after book each day.

Today was no different as he didn’t go to lunch again, sitting at the back of the library and choosing his favorite, secluded spot which proved to be quite lonely without any kind of intruders.

Yuu decided on history and he tried to concentrate, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the blond senior instead. It aggravated him to an extent, realizing that Kouyou was invading his thoughts even more than before. His heart hadn’t healed at all, and Yuu couldn’t understand how he managed to make the same mistake as he had done before; falling for a straight guy. Kouyou probably had his own love interests already, but that fact hurt Yuu greater than he thought it would. He couldn’t deny the real reason for his turmoil, though, and that Kouyou really owned his heart by now. It wasn’t just a crush anymore if it hurt like this, was it?

“Hi, nerd.”

Yuu almost jumped in his seat and turned to his right. Akira was standing near the shelves with a kind smile curving his lips, and Yuu felt panic raising up inside of him.

“I'm sorry if I startled you. Can I talk with you?”

The boy’s words and tone sounded quite uncharacteristic for him but Yuu felt a strange sense of calmness surrounding them. And so, the boy slowly nodded in response, averting his embarrassed gaze.

Akira snorted and quickly hopped on the chair right next to the smaller student who was still avoiding his eyes quite successfully. Several seconds passed until Yuu finally realized his sketchbook was laying on the table right in front of Akira, and the boy quickly snatched it away, hiding it inside of his backpack.

“Can I see?” The student asked, raising an eyebrow, but Yuu couldn’t let him take a glance at the recent sketches of his.

“No,” he simply replied, averting his gaze again.

There was something about this boy that intimidated Yuu on many levels, but at the same time, he trusted him fully and he didn’t feel threatened in any way, despite the fact that he was Kouyou’s best friend.

“How are you, Yuu?” The flashy blond asked a second later, and Yuu sighed as he searched for the right words.

“I have some exams coming up.”

“Is that why you lock yourself in here almost every day this week?”

Yuu’s eyebrows curved in a frown. How did Akira know where Yuu had been these past few days…?

“Or is it because of Kouyou?”

Yuu’s heart reacted to his words instantly and the raven boy felt broken all over again. He didn’t respond, and looked away as the pain he felt suddenly showed on his face.

“Kouyou is dumb.” Akira spoke again and Yuu was stunned by the sudden insult in his words. “I know something happened after Yumi’s love letter for you, yeah, he told me. But I’m sure that whatever he did was because he thought she was messing with you. Being the protective president he is, I’m sure he just wanted to keep you safe.” Yuu slowly turned his gaze towards the senior sitting next to him, and he tried to read the blond’s face in order to find any sort of sign that would convince him that those words were true.

“I know he feels guilty now, and like I said he’s a dumb fuck, so… he needs just a little push to do the right thing, and I’m counting on you to do that kick for me.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Yuu’s voice was a mere whisper as he suddenly felt suffocated by the new emotions in his chest.

“Because he’s like family to me, and I can see that he cares about you. I can tell you it’s quite rare for him, too.”

They both stared at each other for a while, Yuu’s feelings overwhelming him, his eyes glistening with newfound hope. Kouyou’s best friend wouldn’t lie to him, right? He could trust the boy, as he said the president actually cared for him.

“Also, please, after you sort things out, think about coming to my party next week.” Akira winked at Yuu and stood up from his seat. “See ya.”

And in the next moment Akira was out of the library, leaving Yuu behind, still drowning in his feelings as happy tears threatened to spill from his eyes this time.

~

It was Saturday, and Yuu was staring at his phone laying on the table as he chewed on the pancakes that his mom had just cooked for him. The TV was on and she was watching her favorite show while throwing curious glances at her son. He was growing ancy, though, her looks too suspicious for his liking, and he decided to break the awkward silence filling the living room.

“What’s wrong?”

When she looked at him, Yuu instantly regretted his decision to draw her attention back on himself.

“You seem different.”

“What do you mean?” He gulped and just stared at his pancakes this time, his cheeks turning red by the second.

“You’ve been… very quiet this week, but… you seem different today,” she explained, and Yuu instantly lost his appetite, pushing the plate away. “Have you talked with Kouyou?”

The boy looked away shyly and refused to glance at her, knowing that she was the only person who was able to see through him and read him like an open book. She was probably doing exactly that as she spoke to him again.

“I know he doesn’t know about you, because if he did, you would’ve been mocked or expelled by now and I would be looking for a new home, so I guess… something else happened. You two fought, maybe?” Damn, she was just too good, and Yuu slowly gave in, looking at her with watery eyes. “I know you like him.”

“I know you do.” Yuu’s voice was low, and she smiled gently at him.

“Do you just like him, or…”

“Please don’t do that,” he begged, his voice hoarse, and his mother sighed as she stared in his eyes.

“You’ll feel better if you voice it out, believe me.”

“I can’t.” He then crossed his arms protectively in front of his chest, staring at the TV instead.

“You know I’m always on your side, dear.”

And she was right. This woman was the only real friend he ever had, as she had always protected him, even when the whole world was against him. She gave up everything for him, and maybe he needed her right now, but the guilt of repeating the same old mistakes all over again was still eating him inside.

And yet, she was probably his only salvation now.

“I got a love letter,” he spoke suddenly, and his whole body began to tremble from the emotions running through it. “The girl who wrote it… I think she’s suspicious of me, but she’s also very possessive of Kouyou. I’m sure she was trying to mess with me, but I have no idea what Kouyou was thinking. He… ripped the letter, and we haven’t spoken since.”

“When did this happen?” His mother was concerned, now, and Yuu gulped.

“Monday...”

“I see… what changed since then?”

Yuu was trying to remain calm, but remembering back to all of those painful memories was beginning to take a toll on him. He still made a last attempt to keep his posture and say the next words with controlled voice.

“His best friend talked with me yesterday and told me Kouyou was just protecting me, but… why wouldn’t he say so from the start? Why hasn’t he talked to me since then? I just… don’t understand him.”

His mother chuckled, and Yuu was stunned by her reaction. Did she just  _ laugh  _ at him?

“Oh, Yuu, you’d be surprised how strange the straight guys are. Just try to talk this through with him. You know what… why don’t you just ask him over and talk with him?”

_ “What?” _ Yuu almost snapped, his breathing erratic as the adrenaline in his blood raised to a dangerous level. He was panicking. “He wouldn’t come even if I… no, I can’t… I just…”

“Have I ever given you bad advice before?” The woman interrupted, giving Yuu a knowing look which managed to soothe him a bit, but not entirely.

She had a point, and he couldn’t deny that.

“Just grab your phone and text the boy. I'll make more pancakes. I’ve been dying to meet him officially after he became your friend, anyway.”

~

The noisy vibration of a phone went off on the night table stand, awaking a sleeping Kouyou (and Shiro, who Kouyou consoled into cuddling with him the previous night...) who had originally planned to sleep all day and maybe go out to a party later to get his mind off of... everything. With a groan he rolled over to face it, simply staring at the device with furrowed eyebrows, because who would be texting him on a Saturday morning? Aside from the occasional text from Akira, Kouyou hadn't texted with anyone in the past week. Regardless, the curiosity got the best of him and he rubbed his sleepy eyes before reaching over to grab his phone.

He almost dropped it when he saw the name on the screen.

Yuu: Hi Kouyou

Yuu: I was wondering if you'd like to come over. Mom made pancakes

Yuu... wanted to see him? The president shook his head in disbelief and actually let out an audible scoff. Why did Yuu want to see him, after Kouyou had been such a dick? He'd overreacted beyond necessary, he'd snapped at Yuu without reason and didn't even bother apologizing. He'd avoided Yuu like the plague for the past week, again, not bothering to give the raven a reason as to why. Kouyou simply cut all contact, and it wasn't fair to Yuu; sure, he had Yutaka to keep him company, but it didn't matter. Kouyou had acted like a total cunt, and Yuu didn't deserve that drama.

But now Yuu was giving him a chance to fix it.

Beside him, Shiro wagged his fluffy tail before laying his head on his master's chest. Kouyou smiled and ran his hand over the dog's soft fur, scratching behind his ears before unlocking his phone with shaky hands.

Kouyou: I'd like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter update won't be up until early next week sometime because i'm going on a trip for a few days and can't post from my phone. trust me though, it'll be worth the wait heh


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY my flight got cancelled twice and i was stuck in nyc for a few more days than i had anticipated lol... anyways, this chapter is short but i'll be uploading the 6th one momentarily!

Not long after Kouyou sent his reply, Yuu sent him his address and the senior hopped out of bed with such an aura of newfound confidence, relief and happiness he was practically glowing.

"You hear that, Shiro?" Kouyou reached down to pet his puppy one more time, the animal wagging his tail and feeding off of how happy Kouyou suddenly seemed to be. For the past week, Kouyou hadn't been sleeping all too well, and he neglected his studies. Evidently his dog was worried about him, and Kouyou felt bad for that, too. It wasn't healthy for pets to feel their master’s' sadness. "I can fix this. I know you don't like Yuu, but I do. And I want to be friends with him again..." His words trailed off quietly as he came to a realization.

Friends, huh? So it was official; Yuu was no longer just a new student that Kouyou was assigned to show around the school. He was Kouyou's friend, and Kouyou was his in return.

The dirty blond senior quickly got dressed and ready, making sure to brush his hair well and dress nicely—or, at least, presentable, and then he was out the door. He was surprised (and quite happy) to find out Yuu's house was just a 20-minute walk away.

~

_ Knock knock. _

Kouyou stood at the door of a suburban-looking home, very small in comparison to his, but something about it was... comforting, in a way he'd never known before. His hands were shaky as he held them clasped together in front of his body, the weight of everything coming crashing down onto him all at once. Christ, what was he even going to say to Yuu? There was so much he had to apologize for and clear up, and—

"Kouyou?"

The door opened, interrupting his whirling thoughts and anxieties, for which he was thankful for—but the voice he heard greeting him was not the one he expected. And yet, at the same time, it wasn't unwelcomed.

"Hi, Ms. Shiroyama," Kouyou bowed to her politely. "It's nice to see you again. Um, Yuu asked me if I could come over, is he home?"

"Oh, he is! Come in," Ms. Shiroyama excitedly invited him inside, closing the door and shooting him a friendly smile, yet her face said something like...  _ I'm onto you _ . Kouyou offered a friendly smile in return as he tried to hide the fact that he was fairly unsettled. "He's in his room, down the hall and to the left."

"Thank you," Kouyou replied, taking off his shoes and taking in his new surroundings. The house was much, much smaller than his own, only a single level, but it was so, so comforting. It didn't feel lonely like his big house was, a large space but usually only Kouyou to occupy it, other times his maid and butler. His parents rarely came home.

Shaking off the thought, Kouyou stood in front of the door that supposedly belonged to Yuu. With a big inhale, he brought his hand up to knock on the door. He held his breath as he awaited an answer—only to be met with an angry hissing sound once the door opened.

"Kiko!" Undoubtedly, that was Yuu's voice. Undoubtedly, that was Yuu, standing before Kouyou, holding a small, hissing black cat in his arms, with such a look of ferocity Kouyou had to take a step back. "Sorry, come inside and I'll put her out," Yuu said, and Kouyou stepped in, avoiding Yuu and the little black demon in his arms. Yuu shut the door and had his back to Kouyou.

"I guess we're even now," Kouyou awkwardly joked to make some light of the very, very tense situation. "Shiro doesn't like you, Kiko doesn't like me."

Yuu didn't respond.

Kouyou stared down at the floor. He had to come clean.

"Yuu," he started, his voice gentle and totally unlike the Kouyou he had been on Monday. "I'm so,  _ so  _ sorry. I just... I know Yumi, and I know her intentions are malicious. You have to believe me that I acted that way to protect you, and I know I should've gone about it in a much calmer way, but... I just don't trust her, not one bit, and I would absolutely hate to see you get hurt by her," Kouyou rambled, his thoughts jumbled as he tried to convey everything to Yuu. "You don't deserve any of this drama. You didn't deserve to be subjected to my anger that was all towards Yumi and none to you. I'm sorry, Yuu."

Kouyou was getting so worked up over their situation and his rambling made Yuu’s heart skip a beat… or maybe even two, as the boy just stared at him. This was the Kouyou that he knew and loved, standing right there in front of him, no sign of anger or intimidation on his face. The blond was really worried and Yuu felt oddly happy by that fact, knowing that he couldn’t keep torturing him with his silence.

“Kouyou,” he spoke, interrupting the wave of words that his senior was throwing at him and simply smiled. “I believe you, but… can you please just be honest with me from now on?”

Kouyou was amused at first, but he returned Yuu’s smile a moment later as he rubbed at the back of his head awkwardly. Yuu bit his lip as he watched the every move of his senior. He really missed this cute side of him and… well, frankly, he missed his everything, from the goofy attitude to the way his stunning looks were making Yuu’s heart race in his chest.

“I promise I will be telling you everything from now on.” Kouyou sealed their new deal and Yuu nodded.

He didn’t move from his spot at the door, though, and Yuu frowned a bit as there was one more question still worrying him, tugging at his heartstrings.

“So...you weren’t angry because… you like Yumi?” His question sounded even more awkward than he had anticipated, but Kouyou’s answer came almost instantly.

“Oh god… are you  _ kidding  _ me? I think only a masochist would be able to get along with her. I’m not one like that, for sure.”

Yuu felt like a huge weight had just been lifted from his heart and shoulders. He didn’t know if he was allowed to feel so happy by this newfound knowledge, but he didn’t spend too much time delving into it as a small hiss reached his ears and he quickly turned around towards the door.

He took a deep breath and heard a cute meow coming from the corridor outside.

“I have to let her in…” He said, his voice filled with worry as he glanced at Kouyou. “She’s still very small and gets scared easily. I don’t think she would attack you, though.”

After the blond nodded and gave his approval, Yuu opened the door, the small feline slinking inside of the room with a familiar triumphant walk.

She didn’t go much further and sat on the carpet, staring at their guest with big green eyes.

“Mom should be done with the pancakes soon.” Yuu announced and closed the door, locking gazes with the blond again. ”If you want we can… watch something or… play a game,” he offered shyly, and waited for his senior’s approval and response.

Kouyou's eyes lit up instantly at the thought of playing video games with Yuu. He had his own systems at home, multiple systems, in fact, but never played with them. He preferred multiplayer games, and more often than not be was the only player in his home.

"A video game! Let's play a video game," he almost shouted after pondering the reasons behind his decision. The usually so-confident student president had an almost child-like aura around him, his excitement almost overwhelming and his guard completely let down. He couldn't even recall the last time he'd let himself go like he was now, but it didn't matter. He was happy to be living in the now, with Yuu having forgiven him and the fact that they could do such fun, friend-activities together.

Yuu laughed aloud at Kouyou's reaction, while Kiko hissed at all the commotion he was making. "Video games it is. What do you want to play?"

"Um..." He hadn't thought about that. "Something... simple and fun?"

Again, Yuu was chuckling at Kouyou's childish response, and Kouyou could feel his face heat up in the slightest when he realized that wow—Yuu's smile was... really cute, what with his full lips and white teeth. Kouyou was genuinely surprised the raven haired hadn't been snatched up by a nice girl yet (Yumi didn't count).

"You mean like, Mario Kart?" Yuu asked him, that sweet smile plastered to his face. Did Yuu ever smile like that around Yutaka...?

"Sure, uh, Mario Kart," Kouyou responded in somewhat of a weird daze.

"Mario Kart it is, then," Yuu confirmed as he made his way over to his gaming console, retrieving the appropriate disk from a shelf that contained... a lot of fucking games. Kouyou guessed the raven was more passionate about them than he thought... "Have you ever played this before?"

"No, I... I don't think so," Kouyou confessed, Yuu handing him an Xbox controller to which he took carefully in his injured hand, before Yuu took a seat on the floor. Kouyou followed suit, soon sitting beside him (and as far away from Kiko as possible. That cat gave him some weird vibes).

"You've never played Mario Kart?! Who even are you?" Yuu scolded cheekily as he entered the main menu of the game.

"Um," Kouyou mumbled, trying to fathom a reason besides the fact that he never had anybody to play with. "Just no time for it, I guess."

"Oh," Yuu simply replied, sending Kouyou a strange look. "Well, it looks like you're losing your Mario Kart virginity today."

_ Virginity?! _ Kouyou knew Yuu was just using the term as a joke, but hearing him say it sparked many thoughts in Kouyou's mind. Was Yuu a virgin...? Kouyou didn't have time to collect and process his thoughts before he opened his mouth to speak, the menu screen of the game still loading.

"Yuu, have you ever been with a girl before?"

"What?!" Yuu spluttered at the sudden, off-topic question, and Kouyou was almost worried the poor raven was going to choke. "N-no, I haven't," he finally managed to stutter out.

"Oh," Kouyou hummed. It surprised him—Yuu was so pretty, he was confused in thinking that girls weren't throwing themselves at him day-by-day. "Well, what do you like in a girl? Maybe we can... set you up one of these days." Yuu would like that, right?

For some reason, the idea didn't settle too perfectly with Kouyou—but for Yuu's sake he let it slide.

"W-w-what? What do I like in a girl?"

"Yes, Yuu," Kouyou chuckled at Yuu's weird, innocent behaviour. Well, that answered one question of his; Yuu was certainly a virgin. "What do you like in a girl?"

Yuu was shaken by the sudden change of topic as he didn’t know how to reply to his senior at all. He never really found girls attractive as he had pretty much been gay for all his life, and the heterosexual concepts were pretty confusing to him.

He quickly recalled some movies and few straight guys he used to hang out with, though. They all seemed pretty hooked on boobs and butts...

"I like, um," Yuu stuttered again, and Kouyou raised his eyebrow. "I like... I like boobs. Big ones.”

...Okay, that was not what Kouyou had been expecting.

"Yuu, I mean... personality-wise."

"Oh, uh, personality, right," Yuu's voice quieted as he pondered for an answer. "I guess... a girl who isn't afraid to be herself around me?"

Close enough.

"And how about you? Have you... been with a girl before? What was she, um, like?"

The innocence of Yuu's question almost made Kouyou 'aww' aloud, but as he came to think of a reply, he found himself in almost the same sort of situation. Despite being the hot school president, Kouyou... didn't have much girl-experience.

"I've been with... one. She... had big boobs. You'd probably like her." Good job, Kou. Way to be awkward as fuck, even though girls were a very common topic amongst teenage boys.

"Oh," Yuu hummed in understanding. "Good to know."

"Yeah..." Kouyou trailed off awkwardly, biting his lip as the game finally loaded. "Just... no time for that stuff, between student council and my studies."

"Oh."

And then the two boys picked the map, their characters, and were starting their game, awkward conversation momentarily forgotten amongst laughs and teasings as they played for a while.

Yuu was proud of himself, his gaming skills seeming to be quite superior compared to Kouyou’s. They threw a couple more jokes at each other and thankfully he was able to fully ease up from their quite uncomfortable girl topic from before.

There was one thing that managed to dampen his mood and was still bothering him, though. Kouyou had had a girlfriend at some point, and Yuu didn’t get to find out much about her as the blond changed the subject pretty quickly. The raven haired boy couldn’t help but wonder… was she from their school? Has he seen her before on the school grounds? Why weren't they together anymore?

Suddenly a knock was heard from the door and Yuu paused the game. His mother peeked in at them, and announced the pancakes were waiting for them in the dining room.

The boys were fast as lightning as they threw the controllers aside and were sitting on the chairs around the table just a couple of moments later.

There was syrup and a huge jar of Nutella waiting for them next to the pile of pancakes, and Yuu licked his lips as he prepared the first one for himself.

“Can you believe I already ate six this morning?” He giggled as he scoped out a big spoon of Nutella from the jar.

_ “Six?!” _ Kouyou looked at him, shocked yet amused, gulping hard as he already had started on his slathered-with-syrup-pancake. “Do you even have the space for them?” He glanced at Yuu’s lean torso, and the raven chuckled.

“You’d be surprised. I’m planning to eat the same amount right now.”

They chewed for a while in silence, Yuu watching the blond from afar as the president’s lips moved slowly… looking full and just as  _ delectable… _

A familiar alarm rang in Yuu’s head and he quickly turned his gaze towards the next pancake he was about to prepare on his plate, but Kouyou drew his attention again.

“No one has ever made me pancakes like this.”

And as Yuu looked at him, the blond’s words sounding too honest and cute, the younger student found himself mesmerized by the solemn face of the senior sitting next to him.

“Oh…” The raven’s attention fell on a certain spot of syrup resting on Kouyou’s chin and he chuckled again. “Kouyou, you have food on your chin.”

“What, where?” The president was clearly worried and embarrassed as his gentle smile had been wiped off his face.

“Your chin,” Yuu repeated, still giggling at the self-conscious senior as he tried to clean the food with his fingers but without success.

And in the next moment, Yuu’s hand reached up to Kouyou’s face, and the raven didn’t even think as his fingers brushed at the chin, removing the syrup from it gently.

He then cleaned his fingers with the napkin next to his plate and looked up, meeting Kouyou’s eyes again, realizing they weren’t cheerful anymore.

The realization of what he had done made him freeze, but he was quickly pulled out of the awkward situation as Kiko meowed out loud and quickly made an appearance on his lap.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't forget to read chapter 5 if you missed it!

The feeling of Yuu's lithe finger upon his chin made Kouyou tense up, his eyes locked on that finger as it left his face as soon as it had touched him. The skin where Yuu touched him became hot, and Kouyou lifted up his hand to lay it upon the burning sensation in his face that soon spread to the rest of it. Thank god Kiko provided as a distraction, because Kouyou's face was on fire—and so, he smiled at the interaction between owner and pet in front of him, Yuu chuckling as the soft black cat purred and rubbed her face against his hand. She fit so perfectly with him, with her dark fur matching his own dark hair, just like the guitar had in Yuu's grasp. The mental image reminded Kouyou that tnce he got his test mark back, the two could finally play together. It'd been something the senior was looking forward to, and now that Yuu had forgiven him over his outburst, Kouyou didn't have to fear it not happening. He was excited to play with Yuu.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Huh?" Yuu's voice distracted him from his daydream, and the raven was looking at him expectedly. He glanced down at the meal on his plate. "Nothing, just... these pancakes are really, really good. Tell your mom I said thank you." He wasn't lying. He dearly appreciated the hospitality he was being given by the Shiroyamas; he couldn't even remember the last time his mom made him a home-cooked meal.

"No need for him to thank me," the voice of a woman filled the air before the owner of it came by to pat Kouyou on the shoulder. Kouyou grinned up at Yuu's mother, who smiled back with a face so friendly, a face that made this house a home (...even if she still had a look that made Kouyou feel like he was being examined, evaluated at all times). "It's not a problem. You know, I cook pretty often, so you can drop by whenever you'd like. Can't he, Yuu?" Ms. Shiroyama sent her son a wink, and Kouyou watched as Yuu almost choked on his pancakes.

"Um, only if you want to, Kouyou, but... the invitation is there."

"I"d really, really like that."

~

The boys finished up their pancakes, Ms. Shiroyama cleaning up and making most of the small talk as she and Kouyou got to know each other, Yuu occasionally chipping in. Kouyou really liked her. She seemed fiercely overprotective of Yuu, and Kouyou could tell that she loved her son more than life itself. Yuu was so, so lucky to have her.

Kouyou bowed and thanked Ms. Shiroyama for the delicious pancakes once more before the boys retreated back to Yuu's room to finish their paused session of Mario Kart, Kiko slinking behind them.

As they sat down, a thought filtered into Kouyou's mind. "Hey, Yuu?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's your dad? Is he working?"

"My... oh." Yuu's face was overtaken with such a solemn look, Kouyou knew he had tread into dangerous territory, and he quickly tried to console Yuu.

"I... sorry, I..."

"No, it's... it's okay. He left a few years ago," Yuu whispered, and the raven looked so crestfallen about the confession that Kouyou couldn't help but drape his arm over Yuu's shoulders and hold the shorter boy close.

Yuu was warm. It sent a familiar yet confusing and weird bout of tingles running through Kouyou's body, but he had to ignore it for Yuu's sake—although the raven tensed under his hold, not speaking nor breathing, and Kouyou took that as his cue to release the boy.

"It was hard, but... my mom and I are doing alright now."

"I'm sorry, Yuu..."

"Kouyou, stop apologizing." Yuu turned his head, as did Kouyou, the tension in the air thick again. "Well, what about your parents? I haven't seen them." A dagger shot through Kouyou's heart at the sudden question, but it was only fair to answer it after Yuu had done the same.

"They're... away on business trips, all the time," he spilled, lowering his head and allowing the golden strands of his hair to shield his face. He didn't want to reveal too much, but when he started to talk, he couldn't stop. "That's why my house is so big and I have so many things. My parents do nothing but work, and because of that, they're never home to love me. I'm always alone, Yuu. Shiro is the only one who keeps me company at home. I can't even remember the last time I sat down with my parents for dinner." Kouyou could feel his eyes threatening to water, and he was so, _so_ angry at himself for letting his guard down in front of Yuu like he currently was. "I'm so jealous of what you have, Yuu. I would give up everything to have my parents home with me, to love me. I'm so lonely."

"You’re not alone, Kouyou.” Yuu’s voice was shaken as he spoke, the boy feeling sadness engulf his heart as he watched the blond’s hurtful face.

“My house is empty ninety-percent of the time, Yuu,” Kouyou regretfully pointed out.

“But you have your friends at school. You have everyone’s attention. You have Akira. He’s your childhood friend, right?” Yuu tried to press further, but his attempts seemed to only sadden his senior.

“But they’re not my family, Yuu. The breakfast I had here today was the closest thing to motherly care I’ve received in the past several years.”

Yuu felt broken all of a sudden, watching the blond’s shoulders fall and the president looked defeated, as if the realization of his pathetic situation had just sank even deeper. And the raven felt just as hurt, his feelings making him spill the next words without even thinking them through first.

“Do you want to stay over tonight?”

Kouyou lifted his head to look at him, surprised by the sudden invitation, and Yuu’s panic returned in full force, tormenting his senses. He was such an idiot, wasn’t he?

“I would love to.” Kouyou’s answer was short, his voice stern as if he had been waiting for those words to come out of the boy’s mouth the entire day. His lips curved in the same mesmerizing smile that had Yuu wrapped around the blond’s finger every damn time, and Kiko suddenly mowed, making her existence known. The boys snapped out of their gaze.

“Oh…” Yuu suddenly remembered, ”it’s time for your meal, Kiko.”

The boy mentally thanked the cat for her intrusion and he rose up, taking her in his arms.

“I’ll be right back.”

And then Yuu left the room as he tried to calm down and stop thinking about all the things that were now preventing him from enjoying the blond’s company.

~

Their day was long as the boys played games until evening fell upon them. Yuu’s mother had made pasta with Yuu’s favorite combo of cheese for dinner, and Kouyou seemed to like it quite a lot. Their meal was just as fun as the rest of their day had been as the president tried to snatch a few meatballs from the raven’s plate, a sheepish smile splattered on his face as he did so. It made Yuu blush quite a few times and that made his mom wink at him, making him feel even more uncomfortable and embarrassed. She seemed quite happy by the fact that Kouyou was staying for the night, too.

Yuu was calm about it for some reason, feeling a certain bond forming between him and his senior, but he didn’t yet know how complicated this sleepover could be for him in the end.

He was sitting on his bed, Kouyou going through his videogames on the shelves, Kiko laying in his lap, and the blond asked him a sudden question that almost made Yuu choke on his saliva.

“Can I borrow something to sleep in?”

“Um…” Yuu felt so nervous that even Kiko noticed it, shifting in his lap. ”I have some… pajamas, but they’re not… um… not your average... pajamas”

“Can I see?” The blond was smirking at him and Yuu tensed, standing up and leaving the kitten on his bed before moving closer to his wardrobe.

“Well… I have some blue ones… and… some pink ones,” the boy trailed off nervously as he took out the clothes.

Kouyou merely stared at them in disbelief for a minute before he spoke, chuckling as he did so.

“Doraemon and Little Twin Stars. Hmm…”

“Don’t you _dare_ open your mouth about it.” Yuu’s face was red, and Kouyou nodded.

“Sure. Who knew little Yuu was into Doraemon, though?”

...And the raven didn’t even think twice before hitting the blond with the blue pajamas, making him wince in pain.

“Ouch, sorry Yuu,” Kouyou giggled cheekily, and Yuu bit his lip as he delivered another blow to Kouyou’s face, throwing the other pair of pajamas at him this time.

“They’re soft,” the taller boy simply explained, and Yuu couldn’t hold his smile anymore as the corners of his lips curved slightly. Kouyou was hugging the clothes protectively in front of his chest, still grinning like mad.

“Are you sure they’ll fit me, though?”

“Um… why wouldn’t they?” Yuu was confused now, but he knew Kouyou wasn’t done laughing at him, and probably had something else in store for him right now.

“You’re smaller than me. I just… dunno?”

The way Kouyou’s eyes checked him out and scanned his body made Yuu feel quite uncomfortable, his good mood suddenly dissipating. His heart was drumming in his ears and he felt butterflies in his stomach again, but he only felt worse as the seconds passed.

“They’re quite big on me. It… shouldn’t be a problem.” His voice turned soft and he quickly returned to his bed, picking up Kiko as he sat on it.

“I should change the covers, though.” He looked at the ruffled sheets next to him.

“Why?” The blond sat on the opposite side of bed, leaving the pajamas laying next to him.

“Because you’ll sleep here, and I’ll prepare the sofa for myself.”

“You are _not_ sleeping on the sofa, Yuu. If someone should sleeping on the sofa, it should be me.” Kouyou was serious, and Yuu froze, completely stunned by the sudden turn of events.

“N-no, no way. You’re my guest, I would never let you do that,” he stuttered and looked away, his cheeks still flushed with bright shade of pink.

“Can’t we just sleep here?” the blond patted the empty space between them, looking up at Yuu with a curious gaze.

“No!” Yuu quickly shouted as chills ran down his spine, the thought of the idea instantly sending him into a frightened state, “that’s just… weird, and… my bed isn’t nearly as big as yours. There’s not enough space.”

In all honesty, Kouyou was slightly taken aback by Yuu's reaction at his suggestion to sleep in the same bed. He seemed reluctant for a reason Kouyou couldn't understand. As children, Kouyou and Akira slept in the same bed all the time, but as teenagers, Akira had reacted the same way Yuu did when Kouyou insisted on sharing a bed, and every time, Kouyou just didn't understand. He didn't think it was weird—he heard girls talk about sharing beds all the time, as teenagers, so what was wrong with boys doing it? Besides, Kouyou saw how small the Shiroyamas' couch was. To be frank, he didn't want to make Yuu sleep on it, and Kouyou didn't want to sleep on it, either. There was more than enough room on the bed for the boys to sleep.

“Please don’t leave me alone, Yuu,” Kouyou nearly begged, his voice quiet as the shame of his thoughtless actions washed over him. “Come on, it’s still a queen-sized bed.”

“No, I kick in my sleep.”

“I sleep with Shiro at home.” Kouyou lifted his eyebrows as he tried to make a point and Yuu was rendered speechless, his mind working its hardest to find another argument to use against the blond’s suggestion, but without success.

“...Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you if you wake up bruised the next day.”

“I promise,” Kouyou grinned, his good mood coming back and Yuu smiled as he tried to mask his emotions with it. The pain in his heart was growing and he knew this was probably _the worst idea ever,_ but he couldn’t bring himself to deny the blond… not when he looked at Yuu with those deep dark orbs of his that halted his breath with their beauty for the hundredth time.

"I'll go change in the bathroom," Kouyou said soon after their decision had been made, holding the soft Doraemon pajamas in his hand. He got up from the bed, making sure to avoid Kiko as to not provoke or frighten her in any way. Yuu nodded as he stared down at his own lap—Kouyou had to have been blind to miss the pink hue on the raven's cheeks, decorating his fair skin and contrasting nicely against his long, dark hair.

 _Kouyou, what the hell?_ The senior thought to himself as he shook his head clear of all thoughts, stepping into Yuu's bathroom and closing the door behind himself. As he looked in the mirror at his reflection, he sighed and let the corner of his lips upturn into a soft smile, the reality of everything weighing itself down on his shoulders; and yet, the weight wasn't unpleasant. Kouyou hadn't had a sleepover with someone in ages, not even Akira. He saw his best friend at parties, school and sports so often he didn't feel like he needed to spend more time than that with him.

But to spend time with Yuu like he was, it made him happy. It made him feel warm, and it made him feel much, much less lonely. Kouyou was so happy to have met Yuu.

"Right..." he said to himself, looking at the soft pajamas in his hand. "Time to get into these bad boys."

~

"How do I look?" Kouyou asked as he opened the door, strutting out of the bathroom like he owned the place, donned from head-to-toe in Doraemon. The pajamas fit him decently around his waist, a little bit too tightly on the arms and shoulders, and when he lifted his arms up his stomach became exposed, but they did the job. He struck a dumb pose as he stood in front of Yuu, doing his best model impression with his best straight face as he tried not to laugh at his own silly actions. He watched as Yuu tried to do the same, keep a straight face, but eventually broke into hysterics once Kouyou started to strut all around the room like he was on a catwalk.

"Kouyou, stop it!" Yuu laughed, his face red as a tomato as he tried to avoid looking at the president's silly antics.

"But I'm a model. Look at me," he scoffed, striking another pose.

And then Yuu looked at him head-on, causing Kouyou to shrink and shy away from Yuu's judgement. "Don't laugh at me," he pouted.

"You're doing this to yourself! I can't help it," Yuu chuckled, his face still visibly red. "You know... this isn't what I expected you to be like at all."

At that, Kouyou crossed his arms with a huff, almost offended by Yuu's statement. "Like what? What do you mean?"

"Like... you're the school president, you're so cool and so confident, but you're actually a dork."

"I'm a... dork?" Kouyou pouted, coming to sit at the end of the bed opposite Yuu. He always knew he acted different around the student body, because what president didn't put up a confident front? But to hear from Yuu that he was a dork, was...

"Yes. But I don't mind it."

...quite comforting.

"You'd better not, mister Doraemon pajamas."

"Kouyou!"

"Ow! I'm kidding!" Kouyou yelped when Yuu started to pummel his shoulder. "And here I was thinking you weren't violent. I guess we both have our secrets."

Yuu didn't respond to that.

"Yuu?"

"We should go brush our teeth, shouldn't we?" The raven quickly interjected, Kouyou shooting him an odd look as the shorter boy got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom. Kouyou followed at a distance, and when he arrived, Yuu was handing him an unused toothbrush before he put toothpaste on his own and put it into his mouth. Kouyou did the same, trying to avoid Yuu's eyes in the mirror—which turned out to be an easy feat because Yuu wasn't looking at him, toothbrush going mad in his mouth, foam forming all around his lips—so much so that Kouyou couldn't not say something.

"Yuu... your mouth," Kouyou mumbled through the toothbrush in his own, trying not to spill toothpaste as he spoke, but inevitably, some dribbled down his chin.

"You've got some too," Yuu retorted, pointing to the white foam running down Kouyou's chin in a line, only for Yuu's to overflow at the same time.

And then they looked each other in the eyes through the mirror before breaking out in hysterics, dribbling foam everywhere. They pushed and shoved to get to the sink, Kouyou winning as he was the bigger teen, and he grinned in victory as he rinsed himself off—only to be met with a wet, slimy feeling on his arm.

"Yuu! That's so gross!"

"You wouldn't let me have the sink, I had to put it somewhere!" Yuu crossed his arms defensively after he'd wiped the toothpaste off his lips with his hand and slathered it on Kouyou's forearm childishly. Kouyou made a fake gagging noise before rinsing it off, and then couldn't help but chuckle to himself at the absurdity of the situation.

"What's so funny?"

"I don't know. You. You're so weird."

"You're weird," Yuu countered simply. "Now get out of my bathroom, dork. I need to change into my pajamas."

"Okay, okay," Kouyou waved off, stepping out of the bathroom, Yuu doing the same as he grabbed his pajamas from the end of the bed. Once Yuu slipped back into the bathroom, shutting the door behind himself, Kouyou sat on the bed, inhaling a deep breath and taking a moment to just... comprehend everything. The fact that he was spending the night at Yuu's house, the fact that he was in Yuu's room. The senior glanced around the small bedroom, properly taking in his surroundings for the first time. As he noticed before, Yuu had lots of video games, and a couple gaming consoles. The TV he had was nothing spectacular, and there was a small laptop on the desk in the corner of his room. He noticed the music posters and some drawings on the walls, wondering if Yuu had drawn them. He'd have to ask about them at another time. Finally, he noticed the one electric guitar in the other corner of the room, along with a small amp beside it. It looked cheap, but it must have worked for Yuu considering how well he played Kouyou's guitar right off the bat.

"Ready?" Kouyou heard Yuu's voice sound from the bathroom after the door had opened, the raven clad in another pair of soft-looking Doraemon pajamas.

"For what? For us to go to a Doraemon convention together?" Kouyou teased, his gaze soft as he looked Yuu up and down. The boy was just so... cute.

"Shut up! I thought if I wore a pair too, you might feel better about yours," Yuu huffed, his face red for the millionth time, and at the words he spoke and his plain-as-day consideration, Kouyou couldn't help but smile

"You're too cute. You're right, I do feel less self-conscious."

"S-stop calling me that!" Yuu stammered again, moving to turn off the lights. Before Kouyou's eyes had adjusted to the darkness, he felt something brushing up against his knee, making him flinch.

"Sorry, um, can't see," he heard Yuu mumble and stumble around as he tried to find his way onto the bed, before... "oof!"

...a sudden weight came tumbling down onto Kouyou's chest.

Yuu had fallen onto Kouyou. Kouyou knew this because, while the senior couldn't see the younger, he could feel his warm, minty breath hyperventilating against his neck, he could feel the squirming weight of another human on his body, could feel the heat radiating off of that body into his, could feel another rapid heartbeat against his own...

And for a moment, Kouyou was frozen in time.

"I-I-I'm so s-sorry, oh god, let me j-just..." Yuu managed to scramble off of Kouyou soon after, and as Kouyou's eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, he could see that Yuu had climbed into bed, hiking the covers way up to his nose and was facing the wall, as close to it as possible. He didn't say a word, not until Kouyou had also managed to get himself under the covers without any other incidents. He faced away from Yuu and was as far away from the other boy as he possibly could have been without falling off the bed.

"Goodnight, Kou," came Yuu's soft voice from behind him.

"Goodnight, Yuu." And then Kouyou slipped into one of the best sleeps of his entire life.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mittilla: gonna quickly insert few thoughts in here because the Doraemon pajamas were inspired by a fic I've been following for years and the author is @septemberashes on Ao3, I love that girl and her stories and the fic I am talking about is "Pale Tortured Blue" /sequel to "Narcissistic Cannibal" that was posted on livejournal, but she gonna move it on ao3 at some point/


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait! my flights kept getting cancelled and i got stuck in nyc for longer than expected lol. because of that, i missed more school than i had originally anticipated as well, so i've been getting caught up these past few weeks.  
> anyways, here's a mega long chapter to make up for it! enjoy!!

A soft warmth against his face tickled Kouyou awake. His heavy, sleep-ridden eyelids slowly cracked themselves open as he noticed his bedroom was no longer pitch black, but warm in colour thanks to the early rays of the sun.

...Wait.

Once the blond had managed to pry his eyelids open, he almost fell off the bed in utter shock when he saw what the source of the ticklish warmth against his face was. Because  _ oh, _ that's right. Kouyou wasn't in his bedroom. He was in Yuu's. Kouyou had slept in Yuu's bed, and the last thing he remembered was falling asleep with their backs to each other, but now...  _ now, _ Yuu's face was all Kouyou could see.

He was so close, Kouyou could see the sleep gathered in his eyes, his long (wow they were so long...) eyelashes, thick and dark, the individual strands of raven hair that draped over his sleeping face. Kouyou could see how peaceful Yuu looked in his sleep. Kouyou could clearly see just how beautiful the boy in front of him really was—

—and that was when he bolted right out of bedroom just moments later, quietly as to not wake Yuu, but nonetheless, he was out of there in a heartbeat.

~

Kouyou escaped to the living room, deciding to try and distract himself with silly Sunday cartoons, because... oh god, Kouyou, what the fuck?!

"Oh, good morning Kouyou."

Ms. Shiroyama... Oh  _ no. _

"Um, good morning," he replied simply, eyes burning into the TV as he avoided looking at her.

"How come you're up so early? Is Yuu still asleep?"

"Just... woke up and couldn't fall back to sleep," he lied, and the mention of Yuu made him inwardly wince. "Yeah... he's still asleep."

"I see," Ms. Shiroyama replied, and unlike Kouyou had hoped, she came to sit on a chair in the living room. The look in her eyes was solemn as she gazed at the teenager, but Kouyou could tell there were multiple layers to the sadness he saw in that poor woman's face. "Kouyou... all I ask is," the started, her voice quiet, and soft. "...that you don't hurt Yuu. He's so fragile, Kouyou. Don't break him. Please."

And then she got up and left.

~

Kouyou was gone.

Yuu blinked a couple of times, staring at the ruffled sheets next to him as he felt a familiar set of dreadful emotions filling up his heart. He quickly realized he was alone in his room and the blond, sleeping in the same bed just hours ago, was nowhere to be seen. He quickly lifted his body to a sitting position, rubbing at his eyes as he searched for Kouyou’s belongings with a sleepy gaze.

To his relief, he finally spotted them on the chair next to his desk and his breathing eased up a bit. The blond was still here, somewhere around the house, and Yuu wondered if he managed to sleep at all.

The raven then realised he was sitting near the center of his bed, which sent his thoughts into an immediate frenzy. How did he get there, had he been there all night, how did Kouyou feel about it, did he feel cornered in the small bed, why had Yuu been so stupid as to agree and share the bed with his senior…

Yuu put an abrupt stop to his train of thought and rubbed at his temples in a soothing motion a second later. He had to calm down and look for the blond, because he might’ve been affected by their sleepover. Or maybe Yuu was just overreacting...

Because he doubted that he did anything in his sleep. He actually slept pretty good and he felt well rested. He probably hadn’t slept so well in months, considering the nightmares he had occasionally as well.

Yuu had to find Kouyou ASAP though. He quickly got up from his bed, searching for some clothes that he could change into. Once he found some shirt and jeans, he removed the pajamas from his body and dressed himself in them in lightning speed.

He had just started on the buttons when he heard Kouyou’s low, husky morning-voice somewhere behind him.

“Good morning.”

Jolts of electricity ran through the boy’s fingers, which began to tremble and shake, preventing him from finishing the last buttons of his shirt. He gave up on them and turned around to acknowledge the senior’s presence and was met with his serious face, which was a distraction from his charmingly tousled bedhead and morning-esque drowsiness.

“Morning.” Yuu tried to smile and lift the mood, but Kouyou’s eyes remained serious, still locked on him. ”Do you drink… coffee or tea in the morning?”

“I’m a caffeine addict, actually.” The boy’s lips curved slightly as he spoke, and Yuu felt a bit better, but he couldn’t deny that something was definitely off.

“I’ll make you some coffee, then,” he said before walking past the taller boy as he left his room and made a quick stop at the bathroom before making his way to the kitchen a couple of minutes later.

He was almost done with the coffee when his mom arrived, holding Kiko in her hands, playfully tickling the kitten’s ears. Instantly, Yuu felt warm inside at the sight.

“How did you sleep?” He smiled at her and she examined his appearance from head to toe with an unnerving smirk on her face.

“You never comb your hair on Sunday.”

His heart froze in his chest, embarrassment warming up his cheeks as his words were stolen and he shied away, pouring the coffee in a black cup.

“And you’re not in your pajamas.”

“Is Kiko fed, or should I feed her now?” He disregarded his mother's words completely, still embarrassed as hell by her comments. Moments later, Kouyou appeared at the door, changed in his own clothes yet still looking serious and quite sleepy. Upon seeing Yuu’s mother, though, he quickly smiled.

“You can feed Kiko now. I just played with her, I didn’t want to do it instead of you,” she replied calmly, and Yuu nodded.

“Kouyou, you can wait for me in the living room,” the raven said, gesturing to the room. “Also, how do you drink your coffee? Do you add sugar? Milk?”

“Both.” He smiled at him for the first time that morning. “I’ll wait for you in the living room, then.”

And then Kouyou was gone, leaving Yuu alone with his mother and Kiko again.

He looked at the woman, confused, quickly realising the senior boy didn’t greet her when he arrived, and he was sure the blond’s manners were perfect and he wouldn’t disrespect her like that.

“Have you already talked with Kouyou this morning?”

“Yes.” Her response was instant, and Yuu felt worry nesting in his thoughts.

“What did you talk about?”

“School. I just wanted to get to know him a little.” Her smile was calming and despite her neutral tone, Yuu felt a weird tinge in his heart. He didn’t dare press further, though, and after the coffee was done, he took Kiko in one hand and Kouyou’s cup in the other, leaving his mom alone and going to the living room where Kouyou was sitting quietly on one of the soft couches.

The blond took the cup, still careful of his injured hand, while his fingers brushed at Yuu’s gently, and so upon instinct, the raven quickly pulled back which earned a curious glare from Kouyou. Yuu was quick to take the kitten’s food out of the shelf above the TV in a desperate attempt to concentrate on something else instead.

He sat on the sofa before pouring some granules of food into the palm of his hand. Kiko sniffed at it and began eating a second later, biting his fingers occasionally, but in a soft manner that tickled the boy and he softly smiled at the animal in his lap.

“Why… do you feed her like this?” The blond asked after sipping from his mug.

“Hm?”

“I thought cats ate from bowls as well… or it’s because she’s still small?”

“It builds trust.” Yuu’s response didn’t seem too satisfying for Kouyou and he looked confused, which coaxed the raven to keep talking. “She’s not the usual home pet. I found her on the street after we moved in. She was quite scared at first, but she seems better now. I don’t want her to see me as her master, I want to be friends with her instead.”

Kouyou seemed cheered up all of a sudden and that calmed Yuu’s heartbeat a bit.

“Is she your first pet?”

“No, I used to have a cat at the previous place we lived at, but… she’s gone now.” An enormous hatred pierced through the raven’s chest as he spoke of the painful memories that would continue to haunt him from time to time. He surely did not expect such a turn of their conversation but, even though he tried to mask it all, his emotions showed quite vividly on his face, his smile dissipating immediately.

Kouyou seemed to notice it as his face morphed into a concerned expression, and he hesitated before asking his next question.

“What happened to her?”

“Some boys from his class killed her and left her at our door.” His mother had suddenly appeared in the room and Yuu turned to his left, his eyes shooting daggers as he felt fury cloud his mind. He didn’t expect such a thing from her and he felt both hurt and confused by her honest revelation to the blond. Yuu was sure he was missing out on something, because both his mother and Kouyou were acting weird... like there was something happening, but Yuu was completely excluded from it. Was she testing his senior in private, now? What was going on?

_ “Mom,” _ he scolded her, despite the fact she was his parent, and he completely disregarded his good manners knowing it would disrespect her even if she didn’t deserve it.

“I’m sorry, Yuu.” She looked at him apologetically, and he was able see that she was saying is genuinely. Maybe she really didn’t mean to cause anything bad with her words, but she still hurt him deeply, opening up an old wound that he didn’t know how to cope with now. He thought they had an agreement to not talk about anything regarding their previous home, and even though it wasn’t enough to reveal anything about Yuu’s past, he still felt… betrayed, in a way.

“Let’s go to my room.” Yuu quickly stood up, glancing at his senior who was completely frozen in his spot on the couch, and he fled the living room with Kiko still in his hands.

After he entered his room, Yuu felt a little better as he placed the kitten on his desk, leaving the remaining granules next to her.

Kouyou had entered the room a couple of seconds after him and was now standing at the door.

“I’m sorry about that,” Yuu apologised and stared at the shelves full of his video games, avoiding Kouyou’s gaze at all costs.

“Yuu, you have to stop worrying so much. There’s nothing to apologise for.”

“I don’t want you to think I’m weird.” His voice was shaking, and he sensed movement in the room as the corners of his eyes caught Kouyou’s form walking closer to him… slowly.

“I would never think such a thing about you. I want you to trust me. Kiko trusts you. Yesterday I promised I would be telling you everything from now on, too. Do you trust me, Yuu?”

The shorter boy was speechless as he moved his eyes to the blond, seeing nothing but understanding on his senior’s face. Yuu felt… relieved, and oddly happy as he stared at Kouyou’s eyes for the next couple of seconds. He felt… like he was cared for, and it was so different from the care he was used to receiving from his mother on a daily basis. It was totally different from anything he had experienced with anyone in his life before. He had never trusted someone like he did Kouyou, and then, in that moment, Yuu finally understood his feelings fully. The president had claimed his heart completely.

Yuu loved him, truly.

“I trust you.” His response made Kouyou smile softly and Yuu felt engrossed in the deep, dark orbs of his senior. His face felt burning hot as his breathing slowed down and a sudden hiss made him jump, turning to the kitten on his desk, snapping both boys out of their moment instantly.

The kitten looked furious for some reason, and Kouyou backed away as Yuu took her in his arms and tried to stroke her fur in a calming, gentle way. She licked his chin and Yuu chuckled feeling the tickle of her tongue.

“Kiko really hates me,” Kouyou grunted and the raven laughed at the way he eyed the kitten, as if she was something dangerous.

“No, I don't think so. She’s just still afraid of a lot of things.”

Kouyou merely shrugged. “Maybe. Well, I think I should go.” Kouyou’s words saddened Yuu, and the raven’s expression changed completely. “We still have school tomorrow and we should focus on it. I have history test tomorrow, too.”

“I’m sure you’ll pass it,” Yuu encouraged his senior while Kiko mowed with disapproval, which made both of them laugh, the mood suddenly lifting into a cheerful direction.

They gave Kiko a bit more of their attention as they joked over her hilarious temper and, when Kouyou finally left and the raven was alone in his room, he couldn’t stop thinking of the blond’s expression as they talked about trust earlier the same day. Yuu felt content with where they were right now, and even though the boy knew this was only temporary, he let the feeling sink in.

Despite its damaged state, Yuu’s heart was slowly building its foundation back, feeding off of the president’s strong aura and beautiful soul. The young student was convinced in the senior’s genuine kindness now and his dreams quickly took him to a place where the freedom of being himself wasn’t just an impossible craving or an illusion. 

That night, his mind truly relaxed, slipping into vividly colorful dreams of his powerful feelings towards a certain blond.

~

Yuu’s classes had gone in a good direction, as all of his tests turned out to have brilliant marks. He managed to score everything well, even though he had spent only couple of weeks in this new environment. His classmates seemed kind and, even though he hadn’t gotten close with anyone yet, Yutaka remained by his side, their friendship blossoming with each day spent together.

~

It was Thursday and Kouyou had finally gotten the results of his test. He had scored a pretty decent grade on his math exam, which made Yuu proud but also quite nervous as the blond was now pestering him to play guitar every time he had the chance. Today was no different and Yuu had  _ finally  _ submitted to Kouyou’s pleas. He was supposed to spend the afternoon with him, along with his best friend Akira, who had invited himself, despite the president’s annoyance and disapproval.

Gym was his last class for the day and Yuu was resting on one of the benches as he waited calmly for school to end. Kouyou had promised to pick him up after his soccer practice was over, and he was excited, his thoughts occupied by the president, as his imagination was running wild again.

He was quickly pulled out of his daze, though, as a big, white ball hit the side of his leg. He spotted a girl from his class running towards him, along with Yutaka by her side, and they reached his spot in no time.

Yuu quickly lifted the ball and smiled gently as he gave it to the girl, only to feel her hands on his, brushing his skin in a gentle but evidently suggestive way, which made his insides stir uncomfortably.

He took a step back, withdrawing from her touch as his paranoid eyes caught Yutaka frowning at him.

“Thank you so much Yuu.” The girl fluttered her eyelashes as she spoke before she bent forward, leaving a peck on the raven’s cheek. His body slightly jerked away, still unsettled by her touch.

She then bowed and excused herself, leaving the boys alone and Yutaka gasping in shock at the new student who felt almost sick from the burning sensation on his cheek.

“Yuu…” The boy trailed off, “even Hana’s hitting on you now, can you tell me the secret?”

“He’s dark and mysterious, unlike you, chibi. Maybe that’s why?” Akira’s cheerful voice made Yuu freeze in his spot as the flashy blond appeared next to Yutaka and ruffled the brunette's hair, smirking as he did so.

“Hey, I can be mysterious too.” His classmate pouted in response and Yuu tried to react to the scene in front of him, but he couldn't. He remained motionless in his spot as Kouyou appeared next to them seconds later, smiling at the raven who wondered… if the president had seen Hana’s display of affection just moments ago.

His heart raced as he smiled back, searching for any sign of jealousy on Kouyou’s features, but the boy remained unreadable.

And then Yuu realized his mind slipped, allowing his feelings to overwhelm him enough to hope for Kouyou’s affection in a forbidden way. At that, the boy cursed at himself for his weakness and quickly moved his attention to their friends as he desperately tried to distract from the choking pain forming inside his chest. 

Kouyou’s eyes never broke their lock on him, though.

"Kou..."

_ Who was that girl? _

"Kouyou."

_ She'd placed a kiss on Yuu's cheek like she owned it. _

"Kouyou!"

"What?"

"Yuu’s going to change, and then we’re leaving." Akira's aggressive whisper yanked Kouyou out of his daze, seemingly just after Akira had teased Yutaka. Kouyou blinked, his vision stirring to life as he felt like he was staring at nothing but seeing a replay of that girl kissing Yuu's cheek flash before his eyes. Yuu was still red-faced, Kouyou realized once he glanced at the boy, noticing Yutaka in some light conversation with him, and then back to Akira who was standing close to him with a raised, inquiring eyebrow.

"Alright," Kouyou simply replied, not wanting to subject himself to any of Akira's interrogation. What even was there to interrogate about? Nothing. Kouyou had just spaced out, that's all.

"Bye, Yuu! Have fun!" Yutaka gave Yuu a pat on the shoulder before sending a dimpled smile Kouyou and Akira's way. "You too!"

"Thanks, chibi," Akira replied light-heartedly, earning a playful glare from Yutaka as he exited the gym, leaving Yuu, Kouyou and Akira as the last three in it.

“Ah, I’ll be right back,” Yuu murmured before making his way to the change room. Kouyou crossed his arms as he watched the raven leave in his peripheral vision, unwilling to look at him head-on.

“What’s up with you? Shiro piss in your cereal this morning?”

“The hell? No,” Kouyou scoffed, shaking his head and bumping Akira’s shoulder with his own. “I just… who was that girl? She seemed really friendly towards Yuu.”

In response, Akira chuckled. “She was more than friendly, that’s for sure. I don’t know her, but I can tell Yuu doesn’t think much of her, while Yutaka does. Chibi’s got total heart-eyes.”

_ Yuu didn’t think much of her? _ “What makes you say Yuu doesn’t care for her?” Kouyou questioned, taking a seat on a bleacher.

“You don’t need to be psychic to be able to tell he looked uncomfortable, dumbass.” A soft blow was delivered to Kouyou’s head soon after, to which the president chuckled at.  _ Maybe  _ he was worrying over nothing, just being paranoid. But also, how in the hell had he missed Yuu’s discomfort? If Akira of all people had managed to see it, as if Kouyou didn’t… “Why does it matter so much, anyways?”

Why  _ did  _ it matter so much? “I just want to, uh, support him, is all.”

“Yeah, sure. After that disaster of a love letter situation, I think he’s going to need it.” Akira’s response instilled a certain discomfort into Kouyou, and the blond resorted to fidgeting with the bandages over his injured hand in silence. The other senior sighed and took a seat beside him, elbows on his knees and his hands clasped together. “Kou, Yuu is his own person. I think you’re taking this a bit too seriously — ”

“What too seriously?” Came a third voice, a voice belonging to the person in question, and only then did Kouyou lift his head to take a glance at the new source of sound nearby as he spotted Yuu exiting the change room in his school outfit, no longer clad in his sweaty gym one.

“Um, just how Kou’s handling the soccer team and all, what with his injury. He worries too much about—ow.” Akira had been silenced by a swift kick to his shin as delivered by Kouyou, and soon the blond stood up from his spot. Despite the kick, the president made sure to send a quick glance of gratitude Akira’s way for changing the subject like he did.

"We ready to go?" Kouyou finally spoke up, thinking his prolonged silence was raising weird suspicions from his two friends, and he really, really wasn't in the mood for that.

"Yeah, let's go," Akira confirmed, gathering his things as did Yuu, and then they were en route to Kouyou's house.

Akira talked most of the way, at times even earning a chuckle out of Yuu, while Kouyou chipped in occasionally but for the most part, stayed silent. He was really, really regretting agreeing to bringing Akira along, but he figured it was the least he could do since Kouyou had been spending a considerable amount of time with Yuu as of late and Akira, his best friend, hasn't really met the raven outside of a few short encounters.

"Akira, you play bass?" Kouyou heard Yuu ask, and instinctively, his fists balled up.

"He does," the president interjected just as Akira opened his mouth, "but you and I are playing guitar tonight. Not Akira. Akira, why are you here again?"

"Oh, Kou, you know you can’t get rid of me." Akira butted his best friend's shoulder with his own. "And I want to get to know Yuu, what's so bad about that?"

Kouyou grunted and didn't respond—how weird. Actually, Akira realized, that Kouyou had been acting... pretty off since Yuu came to the school. He couldn't put his finger on exactly what was wrong with the president, but in Yuu's presence, and even not in it, Kouyou dozed off into his own little world more often than not, he was quieter and more serious, but whenever Yuu was nearby, he was nothing but smiles and... dare Akira even say that he'd noticed Kouyou's face redden from time to time?

Yes, he did dare say that.

"Kouyou, don't worry," Yuu soothed Kouyou soon after. "I don't mind Akira being with us. He's your best friend, right? We've been so busy with tutoring and stuff lately, and—"

"Ahem, Yuu..." Kouyou eyed him seriously, glancing back at Akira who, unfortunately, had caught what Yuu let slip.

"Oops..."

"Kouyou, you've been getting tutoring from Yuu?! For what? Isn't he a grade lower than you? Ha! This is perfect blackmail material!" Akira wheezed through a bout of deep laughter, throwing his arm around Kouyou's shoulders as he usually did. Kouyou growled and shrugged him off.

"So what? I care about my grades, unlike  _ some  _ people," the president retorted, stealing a glance at Yuu who was chuckling at the silly exchange between the two best friends. "When's the last time you got above a 60 in any of your classes, Bird Brain?"

"Hey! I... got a 65 in weight lifting last year..."

"Like that says much about you."

"Looks like we're here!" Kouyou heard Yuu peep, too caught up in his friendly bickering with Akira to notice they'd almost walked right past the entrance of Kouyou's home.

~

"Hey, Shiro!" Akira shouted cheerfully as the trio walked in the door, Kouyou's shiba coming to meet them immediately. "How are you, buddy? It's been a while!" The blond teen kneeled down, Shiro excitedly whining and wiggling and jumping up on Akira in his own form of doggy-hug.

"Shiro really likes Akira. Even more than me, I fear," Kouyou faked sorrow as he watched the dog lick Akira's face excitedly, Akira laughing and gripping the dog's squishy cheeks with both hands.

"Alright, I'll let you two lovebirds be..."

"Me and Shiro, lovebirds?  _ Oh, _ Kouyou..." There was something so deep and so mocking in Akira's voice, but before the blond said anything more, Yuu had finally slipped off his shoes and was speaking up.

"Shouldn't we, uh, be getting upstairs so we can do what we came here to do?"

"He's right. Come on, Akira," Kouyou scolded, walking over to steal Shiro away from his best friend. With a furrow of his eyebrows, Akira gave one last pat to the shiba's head before walking upstairs to Kouyou's bedroom with him and Yuu.

~

"Sorry, do you mind if I use the bathroom really quick?" Yuu asked once the three had gotten settled into Kouyou's room, in his closet and looking at his collection of expensive instruments. Of course, Yuu selected the sleek, black ESP he'd chosen the first time; the black ESP played by Kouyou later on, when the senior feared he'd lost Yuu as his friend for good...

"Yeah, you know where it is," Akira answered for Kouyou who seemed to be in another daze, gesturing to the bathroom. When Yuu left and Akira heard the door shut, the blond was snacking Kouyou hard in the middle of the chest.

"Ow, what the fuck?" The president wheezed, bringing his hand up to cover the wounded area.

"Dude..." Akira shook his head, his voice in a low whisper. "Seriously, when the fuck was the last time you've gotten laid?"

"Gotten la— what?! Why are you asking me that?" Kouyou replied angrily, voice low so poor, innocent Yuu wouldn't overhear them or, more specifically, Akira's shameless, raunchy attitude.

"Because I can tell it's been too long. You've been acting weird as shit." Kouyou's nose scrunched up at Akira's directness, but he let him continue. "Come on. Party's on Saturday night, bring Yuu. Some hot chicks will be there; get one into bed and you'll be good as new."

"Akira, are you sure bringing Yuu is a good idea?" Kouyou hadn't flat-out rejected the suggestion; it was a good start.

"Yeah, it'll be good to get him out there. Who does he have as friends besides you and chibi?"

Kouyou went silent.

"Exactly."

Well, maybe, just maybe, Akira was right. Maybe Kouyou just needed a hot girl, especially after having been cooped up in his room and studying for so long. Maybe Yuu needed to make himself more known, and get the full high school experience.

Kouyou still had a bad feeling, but...

"How big are the chicks' tits?"

At that, Akira smirked and patted Kouyou's shoulder. "I'll find you the biggest and the best, bro."

Just a few minutes later, Yuu had returned.

"Are you ready, Yuu?" Kouyou smiled so wide his cheeks hurt, holding a similar, black ESP to Yuu's in his lap as he adjusted the amp settings, getting them both plugged in. Yuu sat across from him, and Akira stood leaning against the door frame, his usual smirk softened into a smile as he watched the two teenagers in front of him get into position, Kouyou mindful of his injured hand once more—but it didn’t seem so severe that he was disabled from playing. Kouyou inhaled a deep breath as Yuu nodded, and within seconds, they were strumming and picking notes so beautiful and so harmonizing with one another, filling the house with beautiful, rhythmic melodies. Akira had to step out of the room because the scene in front of him felt too intimate for him to watch, with how the two boys had their gazes focused on one other, on their guitars, and on their movements. The two fell into unison so quickly, their own unique scores fitting together like puzzle pieces.

Kouyou couldn't stop smiling, whilst Yuu closed his eyes as the melody caressed his heart.

He kept hitting the same chords in a certain pattern, coaxing Kouyou to bring forward his own skills, and it didn’t take long until he heard the other’s high notes go perfectly with the improvisation they had come up with. It was so beautiful that the boy felt heat rising up from his heart to his cheeks and his eyes shot open. He kept his gaze locked on a corner of the room, filled with Kouyou’s instruments, and didn’t look at the other boy as the music continued. The tones changed, their emotions beginning to tug at the raven’s heart and he felt odd chills run through his body. Love suddenly filled his whole being and the emotions slowly built up in him. The tones that Kouyou produced coaxed him even further into this mood and he felt intoxicated with… his attraction and his love towards his senior.

A minute later Yuu’s senses slowly began to calm themselves and he realised that he couldn’t hear the Kouyou’s notes anymore.

His fingers slowed down until he stopped playing completely, glancing at Kouyou only to find his eyes locked on himself.

They just stared at each other for couple of seconds, the blond’s smile so captivating that Yuu slowly began to feel uncomfortable. He reached up to put a few strands of hair behind his ear nervously and grew frustrated when they fell back down, his hair being its wild self and not submitting to his desires to put it all in one place today.

Kouyou watched him quietly and Yuu, still desperate for some distraction, tied his hair back, the motion instantly making him feel better. Few strands still made their way to his face, framing it and brushing gently at his cheeks and he felt awkward, still having the blond’s eyes on him. What was this silence, why weren’t they saying anything?

“Guys… that was beautiful.” Akira’s voice echoed through the room and both guitarists turned their eyes to look at him.

“You think?” Yuu was first to speak up, his senior still silent in his seat.

“Oh yeah, I’m sure you heard it yourself. You two are born to play with each other, we should seriously think about forming a band or something.”

“What?” Yuu almost gasped and shook his head. “Absolutely not. Don’t include me.”

“Why?” Kouyou turned to him and Yuu felt pressured after suddenly having all of the attention locked on him.

“I can’t work well with people.” And he was right. Music was something special for him and the boy didn’t know how he would cope with someone else butting in and intruding on his compositions. The notes came right from his heart and used to calm him and soothe him every time he felt lonely and different, as if he were able to pour out all of the emotions built up inside of him and feel relieved of its weight, even just temporarily. Hence he was overprotective of everything he created and, even though he let Kouyou sync with his heart and emotions, he couldn’t deny that maybe… it was all because of his feelings for him. What if the boy didn’t sync with other people as well as he did with his senior, causing more bad than good with it?

“Were you even listening just now?” Kouyou pulled Yuu out if his daze and the boy flinched, not liking the change in the atmosphere at all.

“Can we please take a break?” The raven tried to change the subject and, to his surprise, Akira went with it.

“Yeah, please. I’m hungry as fuck, by the way. Kouyou, let’s order pizza or something.”

The blond shruged his shoulders and agreed with his friend on the chosen food. Yuu only nodded in return and stood up, leaving the guitar in its place before following his seniors out of the room.

They kept mentioning the band subject as they ordered the pizza, but Yuu didn’t change his opinion and managed to dodge all of the comments with success. He couldn’t help but notice Kouyou’s behavior, though. It had changed a bit, and Yuu was wondering what was going on. He ignored all of the alarms in his head as he remembered the look on the boy’s face as they stared at each other earlier, but he couldn’t help it as his hopes rose up again… even just a tiny bit. He had developed a strange craving, making him watch Kouyou closely, studying every word that left his mouth and wondering what it all meant, trying to read between the lines. As if there was anything for him to read. It had become a routine for his feelings to go high up the hill of hope and simply fall and roll down to the abyss of the impossible and unrequited…  _ everything _ .

He was so engrossed in the torturous thoughts in his head once more that he didn’t even realize when the pizza had finally arrived and the boys moved to the living room. Yuu noticed it was already dark outside and he knew he shouldn’t stay too late because they had school tomorrow, but… he wanted to spend just a little bit more time with Kouyou. Not to mention Akira was pretty amusing and he had managed to make Yuu laugh with every word that the blond spluttered out. It was almost as if the boy didn’t think before speaking at all.

They were sitting on the sofa as Kouyou emerged from the kitchen with few cans of beer in his hands, and instantly Yuu caught sight of the spark that formed in Akira’s eyes.

“Perfect,” he exclaimed and took a can, opening it a second later with a loud hissing sound. Yuu only gulped and didn’t reach out for the can that was left on the table in front of him. Instead, he stared at the pizza that was waiting for them.

“Yuu, aren’t you drinking?” Kouyou eyed him curiously before sipping from his own beer.

“I’m underage.”

His words sounded so damn innocent that the seniors couldn’t help but to break out into hysterics, Akira nearly choking on his beer. Yuu knew better than to drink alcohol, though. He had his bad experiences with it in the past and it was one of his biggest weaknesses. His body just refused to cope with the intoxicating substance and getting drunk was something inevitable, even if it was just a small amount of the liquid in his system.

“Are you serious? Me and Kouyou have been drinking since before we got into high school.”

“I really don’t feel good with the idea.” Yuu tried to object again, but Akira completely ignored him and opened the can for him. Kouyou was watching them silently again and Yuu submitted, taking the can and sipping from the liquid a second later. He made a mental note to simply be careful, choosing to ignore the memories that flooded his mind.

His features scrunched up immediately from the sour, bitter taste, while Akira chuckled, patting his shoulder.

“It’s always unpleasant the first time, but you get used to it and you’ll find it’s pretty enjoyable after a while.”

Yuu didn’t reply to that.

This time, Kouyou wasn’t smiling. He threw furious, scolding glances at his friend, who didn’t seem to notice him at all and instead grabbed some pizza, being the first to start on the food.

The TV was on and they watched some weird, funny series as Kouyou and Akira kept joking with each other. Yuu laughed occasionally but mostly remained silent as he simply observed Kouyou’s every move in this new environment. Yuu was curious to see how the tall president would act in front of another human he was comfortable with. The smile on his face didn’t fade, not even for a moment, as he fondly watched his seniors and their goofiness.

That was until Kouyou brought new cans of beer and Yuu noticed how the boys in front of him grew happier; or, rather, intoxicated by the alcohol in their system. It had gotten pretty warm in the room and Yuu removed the jacket of his uniform, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

“Kouyou, why does Yuu always look so good? We should learn how to use an iron, bro... look at his uniform.”

“I know, right?” Kouyou laughed. “Well, my uniform looks decent enough…  _ you  _ can pass for a homeless hobo, though.”

“I’m getting all the chicks compared to a  _ certain someone _ here, so I’m pretty fine where I am, to be honest.”

Kouyou’s jaw tensed up and Yuu was able to see the muscles moving under his skin as he did so.

“What about you, little Yuu?!” Akira’s loud, slurred voice startled him, and the boy quickly turned his attention to the blond on his left.

“What about me?”

“Have you ever been with a girl? Have you had a girlfriend?”

“No.” He didn’t even think twice before delivering his answer.

“Too bad. We have to set you up ASAP. Even just kissing is so good, man.”

“But the smooching part is the best,” Kouyou laughed from his spot on the couch, and that struck a nerve in the raven. The next words came out of him so fast, he didn’t even have time to process them.

“I said I haven’t had a girlfriend, not that I haven’t kissed.”

Both of the boys turned to look at him, and Yuu’s face felt like it was burning.

“I have an idea.” Akira’s smirk was too intimidating as he spoke, and Yuu’s heart froze. “Let’s play truth or dare.”

“Oh…” Kouyou smirked as well, and Yuu was ready to object, but the blond easily silenced him with his stare.  _ “No no no, _ you’re gonna play with us. You’re not getting away, Mr. Virgin.”

Kouyou was truly intoxicated and Yuu was sure of that as he couldn’t believe what the president had just called him. This was totally not like him, and it made Yuu sad, nervous… disturbed, even. He never knew his senior had this side to him. He felt oddly offended and looked down upon, and he found that he couldn’t cope with it. He simply remained in his spot and didn’t dare say anything more as he made another attempt to sip from his beer, desperate for something to ease his nerves. It didn’t work.

He didn’t listen to the boys, instead opting to delve into his own spiral of thoughts as they played their game, making each other drink mixtures of alcohol that the raven had never even thought of. When it was finally his turn he felt pressured again, but he couldn’t escape his fate and simply replied with “truth”. There was a bottle on the table that he hadn’t noticed, and Akira spun it. As the bottle froze pointing at Kouyou, everyone went silent.

“Why didn’t you get together with that girl, Yuu?”

This time, the raven didn’t even look at the blond as the pain in his heart was greater than he had expected it to be.

“She didn’t like me back.”

Akira was first to comment.  _ “Pffft! _ Can’t believe it. Was she dumb, blind or both? Her loss bro.”

Kouyou didn’t reply with anything, and Yuu felt slightly humiliated for some reason.

The game went on and Kouyou kept choosing dare for the next couple of choices. As the bottle pointed at Yuu to choose his challenge, the raven couldn’t come up with anything better than to ask the senior to draw something with markers on his face.

Akira laughed hysterically while Kouyou tried to create the outline of a flower on his cheek, which actually came out pretty decent, and Yuu finally felt his spirits lifting up.

“Please stop with the truth thing, Yuu,” Akira snorted before spinning the bottle when it was finally his turn next. ”Choose dare for once.”

Yuu didn’t know why but he slowly nodded and agreed with his senior, only to regret it a second later as the bottle pointed at Kouyou. He gulped and looked at him patiently, waiting for a punishment for the flower on the blond’s cheek, but was completely stunned and rendered speechless when he finally heard his dare .

“Yuu… untie your hair.”

Akira blinked at them a couple of times in utter confusion. Yuu totally didn’t expect such a turn of events and felt completely lost. Was Kouyou serious?

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Akira snarled with frustration, but the president didn’t even flinch, his attention completely captured by the startled Yuu instead. “He finally chooses dare and you can’t come up with anything better than this?!”

Yuu was slightly shaking at this point, still not sure if he had heard his senior right.

Nonetheless, he reached up to the back of his head and slowly let his hair loose, the lengthy strands cascading down his shoulders a moment later. He was intimidated by the whole, tense atmosphere in the room, but when he finally pulled the courage to look at Kouyou’s face… his heart  _ melted _ . Kouyou’s smile was calming, and so…

“You look... so pretty.”

Wait,  _ what?! _


	8. Chapter 8

The way Yuu's silky black hair framed and contrasted against his fair face, his smooth skin and over his shoulders was enough to force words out of Kouyou's drunken mouth before he could even register them as a thought, and it wasn't until both Yuu and Akira were gaping at him that he realized he'd voiced something aloud.

"I-I'm what...?" Yuu stammered, his voice quiet and shy.

Meanwhile, Akira's lips had curled up into a mean smirk. "Kou, you realize Yuu's a boy, right?"

The other senior merely hummed as he finally realized what he'd spoken aloud, but in his intoxicated state he couldn't find a reason to defend the oddness of what he'd said. Instead, he simply tried to prove his statement. "Who said boys can't be pretty?"

"Kouyou, you're embarrassing..."

"He looks like a girl, so I guess I can understand. I mean his hair, oh god what the fuck it's so soft... ouch!"

"Don't touch it."

Both Akira and Yuu shot Kouyou an unreadable look when he suddenly slapped Akira's hand away from fondling the fallen strands of the younger's raven locks. Kouyou didn't know why, but at the sight of it, he was overtaken by a wave of... what he could only pinpoint as a form of anger, or possibly... a form of jealousy, when the president realized that fucking  _ Akira  _ had gotten to touch Yuu's hair before Kouyou had. Something about the innocent display in front of him excited his possessive instincts, and with pride he watched as Akira rubbed his reddening hand where Kouyou had slapped it away. Yuu's soft chuckle made him smirk.

The next round had Kouyou as the one getting dared and Akira to be the one to dare.

"Hmm..." Akira hummed, looking between Kouyou and Yuu with a scrutinizing gaze. An idea came to his head; it was simple, but it was just enough. "Kouyou... I dare you to tie up Yuu's hair for him."

"What? Tie it for him?"

"Yeah. Don't you have a sister that's off in university now? You told me you used to do her hair all the time—"

"Shut up!" Kouyou slurred, narrowing his eyes at Akira who just revealed a deep secret of his. He wasn't sure how intoxicated Yuu was and whether or not he'd heard or understood, but regardless, Kouyou was embarrassed to hear it said aloud. It was true, he used to style and work with his sister's hair all the time as a child and even into his teens, and he was good at it, too, because his mother was rarely home to spend that kind of time with her daughter. So Kouyou intervened, and turned out to enjoy it. But it was a girly skill of his that he'd only ever revealed to Akira, and now Yuu was probably aware, too.

Maybe he was thinking too hard about that specific fact, because another thing was... Kouyou had to touch Yuu's hair, he had to run his fingers through it, he had to feel its alleged softness...

"Fine," Kouyou snapped, defeated, not looking Yuu in the eye as he moved to kneel behind the younger boy—but Akira sure didn't miss Yuu's blush (well, the blush was pretty well permanent now, so it was no surprise).

Quickly, he got to work, Yuu handing him the hair tie and Kouyou slipping it on his wrist. Considering he was drunk and he hadn't styled hair in a long time, his first efforts were considerably sloppy, but he didn't stop, not even when the raven strands brushed against his wrist, draped across his knuckles. Not even as he combed Yuu's hair with his fingers and feeling the ends in his tips, confirming that Yuu's hair was really,  _ really  _ soft. And wow it smelled nice, too...

"Kouyou..." Akira raised an eyebrow. "I dared you to do his hair, not sniff it."

"Wha—?"

"You're sniffing him."

True to the blond's words, Kouyou didn't realize he had his nose buried deep in Yuu's ends until he was told, and instantly he backed away from the younger raven who'd become frozen like a statue. "I, uh... oh."

"Ah-ah-ah, you're not done," Akira pointed to Yuu, whose hair was still down.

There truly was no escaping the innocent dare, and after a few minutes, Kouyou had tied Yuu's hair into a beautiful half-ponytail. Yuu took out his phone once Kouyou announced he was finished, opening the camera app to observe Kouyou's handiwork. He almost squealed when he saw what Kouyou had done.

"Kouyou! I love it, thank you so much," the raven said, his voice genuine as he praised the senior and his unforseen talents.

"Um, thanks, Yuu... it was nothing, really," Kouyou waved off, but very obviously pleased and even bashful at the thought of Yuu being happy with something he did.

Meanwhile, Akira was watching the two boys, unbeknownst to them as they raved over Yuu's hairdo. With a soft smile to himself, he knew he'd chosen a good dare.

After a few more truths and dares that involved Akira kissing Shiro on the mouth, Kouyou confessing that he'd once tripped and fallen flat on his face during a sports match, and Yuu being dared to balance as many objects as he could on his head, the boys had eaten most of the pizza and downed all of the beer they could handle for one school night. Akira crashed on the couch not long after, snoring away as Kouyou knew he'd be responsible for getting his best friend to school in the morning.

That still left Yuu to be taken care of, who luckily was still only tipsy and wasn't hammered like Akira was.

"Uhh, can your mom come pick you up?" Kouyou's voice was drunkenly slurred as he spoke, but just clear enough to be understandable. He felt uncomfortable about keeping Yuu over.

"She probably can, I'll text her." Yuu whipped out his phone in the next second, fingers flying as he typed out a message to his mother.

By that point, Kouyou could barely keep himself up. He grunted when he felt a small pair of arms wrap around his waist, guiding him up the stairs and down onto the soft sheets of his bed. He smiled subconsciously, and before he knew it, those arms were gone and Kouyou had slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Meanwhile, Yuu watched the senior with a fond expression, taking note of how peaceful he looked, even blackout drunk. The thought made him chuckle, and soon he was exiting the room, going downstairs to wait for his mother.

When she pulled up, Yuu got into the car and tried to put on the seat belt. It took him a couple (a suspicious amount) of tries to buckle it up, and he quickly felt the suspicious eyes of his mother on himself.

After they finally took off, Yuu tried his best to ease his mind and he rested in his seat, looking out the window even though the darkness outside made everything unreadable, despite the street lights shining upon it all.

“Have you been drinking tonight?”

The question took Yuu off-guard, but his mother sounded calm, like she wasn’t scolding him at all. She was very understanding and not the usual overprotective type, freaking out over every little thing her son was doing.  Therefore he decided to be honest as there was no point in lying anyway. Only his principles and pride were hurt right now.

“I drank beer… just a can.”

“Are you tipsy?”

“Maybe a little.” Yuu scrunched up his nose and moved his eyes to the road as they drove past Yuu’s school.

“I figured. You’re not a drinker like those kids, it’s easy to get intoxicated from one beer alone if you haven’t drank before.”

“I know,” he whispered, his voice sleepy, and his mother’s tone suddenly changed to a concerned one.

“I trust you that you know what you’re doing dear, but I’m just worried because those kids are...” She hesitated and Yuu sensed where this was going. “They’re… different than you. I just don’t want something to happen again.”

“Kouyou is  _ not  _ Takanori, mom.” The boy tried to make a point and, to his relief, it was enough, because his mother didn’t dare to breach the subject any further that night.

~

Yuu was sitting at his desk in class, completely zoned out, his thoughts occupied by certain blond president again. His fingers brushed at the ends of the black strands of hair resting on his shoulder and memories of last night’s drinking game filled his mind. The class was taking a history test, but Yuu had finished it already and as he didn’t have any other distractions, he couldn’t help but fall into the abyss of his feelings for his senior.

Kouyou… had touched his hair. The look of the half ponytail he had styled it with was beautiful and Yuu’s heart broke when he had to undo it as he took a shower later the same night. The sensation of Kouyou’s fingers brushing through his hair was still there, though, and Yuu hoped it wouldn't disappear soon. He loved it just a bit too much—but he didn’t allow himself to think anything of it, his mind too used to the idea of the older boy being straight and not into males like him, but Kouyou’s kindness was everything Yuu had dreamed of. It wasn’t just the physical attraction which infatuated Yuu when they first met. Kouyou was so gentle and so attentive, the raven found himself fantasizing about what it would be like to have someone like the president love him and shower him with affections. It brought him greater pain as days passed by and Yuu had slowly realized that all of his cravings were impossible. No matter how close he felt to the blond, no matter how many sacrifices he was ready to make for him… it all just didn’t matter in the end, as Kouyou’s heart was just as unattainable as it was before. Maybe Yuu could get used to it eventually and stop secretly hoping for something, anything. Not that he was doing it anymore, except for the nights he spent recalling every touch Kouyou had granted him inwardly or accidentally, resulting in him drowning in these same fantasies, touching himself and releasing all of the forbidden desires built up in himself.

For some reason, today felt different, and  although Yuu couldn’t understand it himself just yet, he felt content again.

Once the class was finally over, Yuu and Yutaka got out into the corridors and found Akira waiting for them near the windows.

“Oi, chibi. How’s the sexual frustration today?”

Oh how predictable straight guys were, talking about one and the same thing all the time.

Yutaka shot a glare at the taller student, but didn’t reply.

“Anyways…” His smirk grew wider. “I wanted to make sure that you guys are coming to my party tomorrow.”

Yuu’s eyes widened instantly at that.

Right. He had forgotten about it.

“Of course I’m going!” Yutaka’s mood was instantly elevated and the boy was grinning like mad now. “What about you, Yuu?”

“I can’t,” the raven replied, and the two boys looked at him with utter shock displayed on their features.

“You’re not coming?” A girl’s voice reached Yuu’s ears and a beautiful brunette quickly appeared next to the boys, followed by two more girls, staring at the new student with sad eyes. The girl’s name was Hana, Yuu recalled, and she was the same person who granted a kiss to his cheek the previous day. The raven didn’t know how he even remembered her name.

How did Yuu always end up in the centre of everyone’s attention?

“I really can’t, I… have an appointment with mom.” He tried to come up with something anything as an excuse, but Akira’s suspicious eyes made him feel even worse.

“What appointment?”

“Family stuff.” Yuu tried his best to look serious and send a message to the older boy who seemed to get it, because he didn’t reply.

“That makes me sad. I really hoped to see you there, Yuu,” the girl interfered again, the sadness in her eyes looking genuine. She really was a nice girl, after all, and Yuu felt flattered that she was giving him attention despite his cold attitude towards her, but he couldn’t give any of that affection back. It was better that way.

“Maybe sometime... in the future.” He smiled and tried to look as apologetic as possible, and Hana nodded before waving them goodbye, leaving the trio alone again.

“I honestly… can’t believe you denied a girl like that.” Akira looked disturbed as he spoke.

Yuu didn’t comment, though, and tried to change the subject, averting his eyes.

“Where’s Kouyou?”

“He’s at home. He was pretty hungover this morning so I left him to sleep it out.”

“What?” The raven didn’t expect such a sudden turn of events. He wasn’t going to see Kouyou today? His gut twisted at the thought of the blond. He wasn’t feeling well and was probably suffering at home. “How was he? Did he feel sick?”

“Wow, don’t worry. I can see you’ve never been hungover before, huh?” The senior laughed all of a sudden, but Yuu’s heart didn’t halt its pace even one bit. “He’s fine. He just had a severe headache, it happens. He drank a lot, and I probably shouldn’t have made him drink that cocktail I came up with. I guess the combination was deadly.”

Yuu still wasn’t satisfied, but he managed to mask his feelings and didn’t let them spill any further that day. Instead, he kept it all to himself and texted the blond later when he was finally home, just to make sure he was really alright. Kouyou texted him back almost immediately and his tone was rather cheeky as well, which made Yuu feel better instantly.

They kept texting the whole evening and Yuu realized he never felt so calm and happy since he met the blond, but his mind didn’t let him forget about the reality of his place so easily.

He dreamt of his old school that night.

~

Yuu was on the floor in his bedroom, eyes locked on the single player game that was currently running on his TV. His back rested on the bed behind him and Kiko purred softly on his chest as she tried to climb up his shirt, tickling his jaw as she finally managed to reach his shoulder.

He didn’t pay much attention to faint doorbell as it echoed throughout the house but felt utterly irritated as his character died a second later, the boss in his game completely wrecking it with his final blow.

“Hm… family appointment my ass.”

Yuu’s attention moved to the door of his room and his eyes fell on a smirking Kouyou, resting his shoulder on the dark frame. He had a sharp-looking jacket on and the raven spotted quite expensive looking pants outlining his legs, which made him gulp hard as he felt suffocated by the shock he was going through right now.

Kouyou chuckled and Yuu snapped out of his daze as he heard the wild hiss Kiko made near his ear. Her claws suddenly latched onto his shirt and he quickly removed the kitten from himself, leaving her on the bed a second later as he got up on his feet.

“Aki told me you had family matters to attend to, but I kinda knew it was nothing major as to prevent you from going to the party with me tonight.”

“I’m not going.” Yuu tried to show Kouyou his determination, but the blond merely chuckled again.

“Why not?”

“I don’t know anyone.”

Kouyou averted his eyes and crossed his hands in front of his chest. “That’s the point. To make you socialize and meet some new friends.”

“I do enough socializing by having you, Akira and Yutaka right now.”

“Why are you so hard to convince every time?” Kouyou faked annoyance, but smiled a second later. Yuu’s heart halted in its tracks and the boy hesitated for a moment. He had his reasons to remain low and unnoticed, and this whole ordeal right now was getting on his nerves.

“You’re just as stubborn as me, you should’ve gotten used to it by now.”

“Please, Yuu?” Kouyou begged, and Yuu felt his determination slowly dissipating. Kouyou was using his trademark charm  _ and  _ cuteness to convince him again. ”It won’t be the same without you, and if you’re not going, I won’t go either. But Akira will kill us  _ both  _ on Monday and it’ll be  _ your  _ fault.”

Yuu couldn’t believe it, but the president’s words made him feel so warm his determination and stubbornness completely vanished in the blink of an eye. Kouyou wanting his company so much as to go as far as to threaten to not go at all was the only thing that mattered to Yuu right now.

God, how had he fallen so hard for this boy?

“Okay…” he sighed, feeling defeated, and Kouyou’s face lit up.

“Fuck yes!”

“I’ll have to ask mom, though.” Yuu still had that one card to play, but Kouyou’s triumphant look crashed his hopes immediately.

“I already asked her. To be honest, she was pretty surprised you didn’t even tell her. I assured her I will drop you off safely later, so...”

Yuu couldn’t believe how cornered he felt, letting a growl escape under his breath. “Get out of my room, then. I have to prepare.”

“Like hell I’ll leave you alone, you could jump through the window and escape easily.”

Yuu couldn’t help but laugh at the blond’s words as he felt slightly better about the whole situation, but fear still lingered.

“No, I’m serious,” the teen objected and moved closer to the blond, pushing him out of his room a second later. “Wait for me in the living room.” And then he shut the door in Kouyou’s face.

Moving to his wardrobe and opening it a moment later, Yuu stared at his clothes as he tried to decide what to wear. Akira’s family was probably just as wealthy as Kouyou’s and Yuu wondered now if this was a good idea from the start. He liked to take care of his appearance, but he felt inferior considering his average status in the society here. He didn’t have anything flashy looking, as he wasn’t into the style at all and his clothes consisted of plain, dark colors, standard shirts, vests and a good amount of black pants.

He remembered a black shirt that he never wore, though. His mother had gifted it to him on his last birthday and it was decently fancy-looking. Therefore, since he never really went to an event that would require him to wear it, the shirt remained untouched at the bottom of his drawer.

He took it out and buttoned it up pretty fast, even though he didn’t really understand why he was in such a hurry all of a sudden. He then dressed up in tight black jeans and after glancing at the mirror briefly, he got ready to leave the room but stopped in his tracks as soon as his hand grabbed the doorknob.

Yuu felt… insecure. The suffocating feeling in his chest was back and he remained frozen in his spot. He knew that going to this party was the least he wanted to do right now, but Kouyou was pulling him in all kinds of directions that were so new and undiscovered by him. Not only that, but the fire of curiosity was burning inside of him, to the point where it wasn’t something he could ignore. He was completely influenced by his feelings by that point, but that wasn’t something detrimental, right? He shouldn’t be afraid because the blond was going to be with him at all times. Yuu claimed that he trusted Kouyou, so Yuu knew he had nothing to worry about as he was in good hands. Kouyou was the most caring person he had ever met in his life (not including his mom, of course).

The thought alone was able to soothe his mind and Yuu felt raring to go a moment later. He remember how happy Kouyou semed by the fact they were going together… and Yuu felt confident with his decision to go after all.

He wondered about one more detail, though, and he slowly withdrew from the door, taking a second glance at his reflection in the mirror on the wall.

Kouyou liked his hair, right? He could let it fall on his shoulders, and maybe do something with it as well. His eyes then fell on the iron on his desk and his lips curved slightly, a great idea coming to his mind. A wavy, messy style wouldn’t hurt anyone, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POOR YUU


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> drama/angst incoming ♡

Yuu made sure Kouyou had no choice but to wait in the living room as he got ready. Oddly, Kouyou was almost happy about being shoved out of the room, because it meant he'd won Yuu over in his entirety in convincing him to come to the party. The senior was pleased, both with Yuu's agreement and his own persuasive talents. This would be good for Yuu, he was sure of it. The shy raven needed to socialize more, and Kouyou wanted to help him set foot in the right direction. Going to a house party was always the best first step, especially one of Akira's, at that. His best friend sure knew how to entertain, and with a big house much like Kouyou's, he had the perfect place to host. Kouyou couldn't remember a single party where he didn't have fun (despite the killer hangovers...), and he desperately wanted Yuu to have the same experience.

"Um, Kou?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you come here for just a second?" Kouyou heard Yuu call from the entrance of his bedroom, interrupting Kouyou's train of thought as he watched TV in the living room to kill time. He glanced to the hallway and couldn't see Yuu standing outside in it, so he stood up to go find him.

"Sure, what do you need—woah, Yuu..."

A bashful Yuu stood in the doorframe, a shy smile on his face as he stood in front of Kouyou. The president's sentence had been cut short by the... dare he say  _ stunning  _ image of the younger boy he felt like he'd never seen before. Yuu was dressed in black, the colour flattering the curves of his body so perfectly and the clothes he wore were tight in nature. Kouyou gulped—especially once he caught the sight of Yuu's slightly curled black strands, making his hair look shorter than he was used to, but adding lots of volume. The combination of black clothes and his dark hair suited him so well; his dark eyes shone amongst the contrasts, and Kouyou found himself unable to meet the younger's gaze because of it, instead finding his eyes trailing lower, lower... oh god, Kou, too low!

"Yuu, I... you... you look..." When he trailed off, trying to find the right words to express his thoughts, he saw Yuu's eyes glisten with worry. He was quick to finish his sentence. "So, so good. You look really pretty."

And then Yuu was smiling and blushing like mad; Kouyou smiled back at the adorable sight in front of him.

"What?! I mean… um, thank you, Kouyou... um..." Yuu, too, trailed off as he pondered for what he had originally called Kouyou in for. "I... can't reach the back of my hair. Can you finish curling it for me?" He asked, his voice timid.

Oh, fuck. Yuu was so cute, Kouyou had almost missed what the raven had said—but luckily he didn't, and in the next moment he was nodding with a big grin. "I'd be happy to."

~

"Akira used to make fun of me all the time for my half-decent hairstyling abilities, you know," Kouyou confessed as he sat Yuu down into a chair, iron plugged in and standing behind the other boy as he carefully took the raven locks into his hands and curled them around the wand. Yuu had fretted about his injured hand at first, but Kouyou was quick to reassure him that the injury was nothing major, it had healed, and that he’d taken the bandages off days ago.

"He did?" Yuu gasped. "But you're so good at it, how is it something to make fun of?"

Kouyou smiled cheekily at the sudden compliment. "He said it was too girly. I mean, I don't blame him. I'm the captain of the sports team and the school president; I can't be seen styling hair in my free time, because... that would get me looked at weirdly."

Yuu frowned at that. "A talent is a talent, Kouyou. Don't worry about what anybody says."

"I really appreciate that, Yuu," Kouyou smiled, his face nothing but genuine gratefulness and relief at how accepting Yuu was of his hidden talent. "You know, you're not too bad yourself, considering you did all of these other curls yourself," he praised, running his finger through a wave of dark hair at the side of Yuu's head. Yuu blushed in response.

~

It wasn't long before Kouyou finished the curling of Yuu's hair—although, it probably took slightly longer than it should have, considering Kouyou couldn't keep his fingers from just appreciating Yuu's hair for moments at a time (although he'd never admit to it). He took a step back to admire his handiwork with a prideful smirk, crossing his arms.

"Thank you, Kouyou!" Yuu grinned with childish excitement, turning his head furiously from side to side as he watched the messy curls bounce. "I love it, I really love it!"

"It suits you well," Kouyou tried to change the subject, as the praise and attention to him was making him shift uncomfortably. "Um... is there anything else you'd like me to do while we're at it?"

Yuu was silent for a moment as he thought, before his eyes lit up with an idea. "Actually... Can you do what you did to my hair the other night? That half-ponytail? I thought it was really beautiful."

"Of course," Kouyou smiled, unable to resist Yuu's request, especially when the raven looked... so goddamn cute. How was it possible for a boy to look so cute?

...Kouyou  _ really  _ had to rid himself of these thoughts before Akira learned how to read minds. Then he’d surely be done for.

Either way, Kouyou ended up putting Yuu's hair up into the same ponytail he had done the other night, but this time the messiness of Yuu's hair made it look much more lively, more voluminous and eye-catching. Kouyou was genuinely proud of his work, running his fingers through the silky strands once more.

But a bout of deep laughter rumbling within his chest had the moment ruining instantly.

"What's so funny?!" Yuu shrieked, afraid that Kouyou was laughing at him. The president's loud bout of laughter quieted down to chuckles after that, as he prepared himself to speak.

"I don't know, just... this situation is so absurd. Isn't this what chicks do before parties? Do each other's hair, compliment each other on how good they look. I feel so silly."

And then even Yuu was laughing, once Kouyou expressed what he was thinking about. "I guess... I guess it is a little bit funny."

"We'll keep it our secret, okay, Yuu?" Kouyou asked him, his grin faltering into a straight face.

"Yeah... yeah, we will," Yuu replied, twirling a piece of black hair around his finger as a distraction from Kouyou's sudden seriousness.

"Anyways," Kouyou shrugged off the situation, glancing at himself in the mirror and fixing his hair. "I suppose we should leave soon. Akira will have our heads if we’re late.”

And then the two were out the door with a final goodbye to Yuu's mom (who absolutely raved over how beautiful her son looked, and was showering Kouyou with praise when Yuu revealed that he'd been the one to do his hair). As they stepped outside, Kouyou noticed Yuu tense up beside him.

"Hey, Yuu," Kouyou whispered, his warm voice low and soothing. "If you feel uncomfortable at any time, just let me know and I'll bring you home. But until then, try to have fun, okay? Parties are fun. You'll enjoy yourself."

At his encouraging words, Yuu smiled softly, looking up at Kouyou whose face was comforting.

Kouyou wanted Yuu to trust him.

~

Yuu’s thoughts were going crazy as they spun in his head. He was overwhelmed, yet also so,  _ so  _ happy as he walked down the street with Kouyou by his side. He felt intoxicated by his feelings, and he also felt confidence rising up inside of him. He could still feel the blond’s fingers in his hair, which was now styled beautifully in a half updo.

Maybe his decision to go to this party wasn’t that bad of a choice. It only meant that he would be able to spend more time with Kouyou, and by that point, Yuu didn’t care about their surroundings anymore.

They talked a little before arriving at Akira’s house, which thankfully managed to distract the raven from his fears, even just for a little while.

As they got closer, Yuu was able to hear the blasting music and loud chatter echoing throughout the street. Akira’s home was just as big and luxurious as Kouyou’s and the raven was mesmerized by the lights coming from it. There were students smoking, drinking and chatting on the lawn, separated in small groups, and they all greeted Kouyou as he and Yuu walked past them. Yuu just smiled and didn’t dare make a sound, which was quickly noticed by the blond, who wrapped a hand around his shoulders and whispered in his ear.

“Calm down, everyone’s pretty nice. Just relax.”

Yuu was able to feel the senior’s breath brush at the side of his face and his skin heated up. He then nodded and smiled before they entered the house, the bass overpowering their senses. There were students everywhere, the crowd getting thicker as they tried to move further inside. The pair began their search for Akira whilst Yuu tried his best to act normal and follow his senior. The raven was looking around nervously as he felt gazes on him, and people were still greeting Kouyou occasionally, the blond still keeping his smile intact.

Akira appeared in front of them a moment later and without wasting any time, the boy led them to the kitchen where a couple of students (still completely unknown to Yuu) were preparing shots.

“Dude! Yuu’s actually here! Ha, I knew if someone could drag him here, it would be you, Kouyou.” He laughed out loud and opened a drawer full of alcohol which made Yuu widen his eyes, blushing madly at the boy’s comment.

“What are you gonna drink, Yuu?” The older boy asked him, and the raven hesitated. “You know what… let me mix you something, just for you.”

“Akira…” Kouyou interfered, his voice carrying a scolding tinge that Yuu noticed immediately. “Don't give him anything too powerful.”

“Don’t worry, your princess is safe in my hands.”

At that, Yuu nearly hyperventilated.

“Akira,” Kouyou rose his tone threateningly. “Don’t make me kick your ass now of all times. Also, where can we go to get rid of our jackets?”

“Second floor. My parents’ bedroom, just dump them on the—”

_ “Yuuuuuuu!” _

A screeching voice suddenly echoed throughout the kitchen and everyone turned their attention to its source. Yutaka was basically flying to them with a huge grin on his face until he stumbled—and then bumped in one of the students, making a mess of the shots that were almost ready a second ago.

“Fucking great!” A red haired boy cursed, but Yutaka completely ignored him and instead made a few more steps to grab at Yuu’s shoulder, shaking it painfully.

“Oh my god, Yuu! You look stunning! I barely recognized you from over there...”

“I’m sorry,” Akira interrupted him with an annoyed expression. “He already drank… some stuff...”

“I’m so happy you made it!” The brunette was still focused on his friend and Yuu laughed genuinely as he didn’t know Yutaka had this cute side to him.

“I’m happy too,” Yuu managed to say before the other boy went on a rambling spree.

“I saw so many people, so many classes, oh my god, Hana was looking for you! She hoped you could still make it after all.”

“Ha, he’s right. Maybe you’ll have a chance to talk with her later,” Akira commented again, but with a smile that felt too…  _ unnatural  _ for him, and it made Yuu panic a little. His skin went ablaze and he realized Kouyou had been silent the entire time.

For some reason, he refused to look at the president.

“I… maybe... I don’t know.” He tried to brush it off and not give them a straight answer, hoping they would leave him alone and not rise the matter again.

“Kouyou, half of your fanclub is here. Yumi isn’t, she’s on vacation with her family, so please find someone just as willing and get laid,  _ please _ , I can’t stand seeing you PMSing all the time.”

“...We’ll see.”

At that, Yuu’s heart... almost broke, Akira’s words echoing in his head. He was completely stunned all of a sudden as he was shoved back into reality with brutal force. He didn’t manage to acknowledge the way Kouyou grabbed his wrist, nor the way the boy pulled him out of the kitchen, the raven’s sudden jealousy being at its peak as he tried to tame it. He came to his senses much later when they finally entered the room Akira was talking about, and Yuu was able to spot a huge pile of clothes on a king-sized bed right in the middle.

They quickly left their jackets—Yuu folding his carefully while Kouyou watched him with amusement—and Yuu tried to forget Akira’s words, pushing them to the very back of his mind. He shouldn’t be reading too much into it, right? The whole night was ahead of them and Kouyou had promised that he would take care of him, which meant they would spend the entire evening together… right?

“Yuu, are you okay?”

The boy turned to the blond and looked at him, realizing that his emotions were probably spilling on the surface, and he made his best efforts to look happy as he spoke.

“Yeah, of course. It’s just... it’s been a while since I’ve been to a party... like this.”

“It’s okay. I’ll make sure that the evening goes by smoothly.” Kouyou’s eyes were so deep now that Yuu couldn’t help but fall into their trap. “Let’s go back downstairs and see what Akira mixed for us.”

Kouyou didn't notice how close he had been walking beside Yuu until the pair reached the kitchen again in their attempt to find Akira. The side of Kouyou's body was brushing up against Yuu, both from the amount of people that were in the house, pressing them together, and that president was making sure he wasn't going to lose the shorter boy. Akira noticed, and in an already tipsy state, didn't fail to point it out.

"Oi, Kou! Yuu's not a little doll, you know. Give him some free rein!"

The taller senior instantly shot his friend an intimidating glare, feeling Yuu tense up at Akira's words. An intense warmth flowed through Kouyou's body as he also felt Yuu press his smaller figure into the president's, no doubt seeking comfort. Kouyou gave it to him, wrapping his arms protectively around Yuu again. Truthfully, he found himself being more touchy with Yuu since they'd arrived the party. Kouyou told himself it was purely to keep Yuu safe and comfortable in such a new, scary environment. That was all. He didn't want to lose Yuu, and he figured if he didn't physically keep him close, the pretty raven would get snatched up at the blink of an eye by the roaring crowd.

"Akira, I told you. Yuu's not used to parties, and—"

"Well, he will be!" Akira interrupted the start of Kouyou's overly-defensive reply, shoving drinks in each of their hands. Yuu's looked fruity and light, which brought Kouyou comfort, and then he glared at his own, which smelled much stronger. He was ready to give it back to Akira when Yutaka came bounding over to them again.

"Yuu! I let Hana know you were here, and she said she'd like to talk to you later!"

And then Kouyou took a big gulp of his concoction, wincing at the intense burn of it going down his throat, but welcoming it as he knew it would result in him momentarily forgetting everything for a little while.

~

Kouyou, Yuu and Akira had all migrated to the living room where games and drunk shenanigans were beginning to stir. Yutaka had gone off on his own, preferably to find a girl. Yuu was still close to Kouyou, although, now that Kouyou had started feeling the beginning effects of alcohol and registered Akira's earlier words, Kouyou made sure to give him a little bit of space in case he wanted it. But for some reason, Yuu wasn't any more than a couple inches away from him at a time, like a little puppy. To be frank, Kouyou didn't mind; he was beyond delighted to know that Yuu trusted him so much.

But the lingering stares of the other party-goers around him at times made him self-conscious, like they knew something he didn't, like they were judging him... and that's when Kouyou would momentarily pick up his pace in a half-hearted attempt to distance himself from Yuu, but the raven didn't seem to be bothered. He kept clinging to Kouyou, and Kouyou tried to blame the fire sparking inside of him on the effects of alcohol. He tried to distract himself from Yuu's (cute...) clingy actions by goofing off with Akira as the three of them watched some people play beer pong, others engaging in intense rounds of truth or dare, and some playing 7 minutes in heaven or other kissing games, or games of more sexual natures.

Witnessing such games disturbed Kouyou in some way he couldn't understand. He felt… off, and he didn't know why, couldn't even recognize in which ways he felt off—he just... did. He was unreasonably uncomfortable, and quickly averted his attention back to the entertaining game of beer pong that was happening. He didn't know what the fuck was going on tonight.

Meanwhile, Akira was beside him, laughing loudly at the games, as well as ogling girls shamelessly, quite obviously drunk. And then there was Yuu, who Kouyou noticed to be dancing ever-so-slightly along to the blaring music, taking sips of his fruity drink every now and then. Good; Yuu seemed to finally be letting go, Kouyou noted, as during his observation, Yuu wasn't looking as afraid or uncomfortable as he had been in the beginning.

"Hey, Yuu, how are you feeling?" He asked, leaning down to practically yell into the boy's ear over the music.

"I'm okay!" Yuu yelled back, his warm, fruity breath tickling Kouyou's neck and making him flinch. Nonetheless, he smiled and wrapped his arm around Yuu's shoulders again before taking another swig of his drink, just enough to make him lose himself just a little bit more.

~

"Oh, shit! Kouyou, take a gander at that one." Akira was jabbing an elbow at Kouyou a little while later, pointing his finger at a girl walking by. She was slightly shorter than him, thin, and she had long black hair that had been messily curled (much like the little raven donned beside him).

Best of all, though, her tits were huge.

"Man, look at that rack!" Akira whispered aggressively to him, voicing his best friend's thoughts aloud. "Remember what I said, bro. Go get her."

Maybe Akira had a point. Kouyou just needed to get laid, and no longer would he feel so weird and uncomfortable. He just needed a quick chick to bang, and then his head would be good as new. Right?

"Yeah. Alright," Kouyou agreed, taking another sip of his drink that had apparently already affected him as much as he needed it to for him to be making a decision like the one he was making now. "Watch Yuu for me." And then Kouyou was walking towards the girl without looking back, ignoring Yuu's feeble voice calling out for him behind him, ignoring Akira's shushing. Ignoring all of it.

~

It was unsurprisingly easy to get the girl upstairs and into a bedroom with him. She didn't talk very much, and Kouyou didn't even bother learning her name—probably for the better. They made out for a little while, Kouyou pushing the girl up again the bed, but he felt... nothing.

And then when he was turning her around, pressing his front against her back and feeling her stomach, he closed his eyes. He closed his eyes, and before he knew it he was imagining himself feeling the stomach of—

"Shit," he cursed to himself furiously, reaching a hand up to grope at her large breast—and it still did nothing for him. Kouyou was frustrated, he was angry, and he didn't feel a single ounce of attraction for this anonymous girl he was meant to fuck and use as a distraction, a tool that he would use to clear his mind...

And then he was reaching his hand down into her pants, and for some, godforsaken reason, the female genitals he had found were not the genitals he was expecting, or... hoping for.

Fuck.  _ Fuck! _

Kouyou buried his face into her black hair. It smelled like cigarettes and alcohol, but at least it was soft, and... familiar.

Suddenly he felt a heat growing in his groin, pressing his pending erection into the girl's rear, and then...

She moaned.

"I can't fucking do it," Kouyou whispered furiously, more to himself than to anyone else.  _ What’s wrong with me? _


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo 10 chapters, double digits! thanks for the support thus far, we love u all!

 

Yuu was happy. He was enjoying every minute of the evening, feeling Kouyou being closer than ever. He felt protected and accepted in more ways than one. His senior was making sure that he was okay at all times and Yuu’s feelings fluttered in his chest like a mad butterfly every time Kouyou touched him, casually or not. He was content, and he finally felt calm, despite his messy surroundings as the evening went on and the crowd of students grew more and more intoxicated with all of the alcohol laying around. Believe it or not, he  _ had  _ been to such gatherings before and had his experiences, hence the bad memories that were preventing him from even considering coming here in the first place.

The party wasn’t  _ that  _ bad, though…

He was listening carefully to the bass as he sipped from his drink, not noticing his seniors’ talk at all, despite how close they were, as the music was still too loud for Yuu to even hear his own thoughts.

But he did notice when Kouyou moved from his spot and dived into the crowd, leaving Yuu behind.

Yuu wasn’t thinking and his first reaction was to call for him, making a few steps in an attempt to follow the boy when someone grabbed at his elbow, making him stop in his tracks. He quickly turned around and saw Akira’s face smiling gently at him.

“Don’t worry, Yuu. He’ll be back in a minute.”

Yuu didn’t know why, but for the first time since he met the boy… he felt strangely suspicious of him. Akira couldn’t possibly understand, could he? Yuu’s bond with Kouyou was different, and he knew the blond would never leave him without speaking to him first.

And as he turned around to look for the president again, he finally spotted him on the other side of the room, speaking with someone. The people moving and dancing to the music made his vision unclear but as he watched them silently, he finally saw the outlines of the person’s body and as they ran their fingers through their messy locks of hair, it revealed the stunning features of a girl. 

Kouyou had left to speak… with a girl. 

Yuu suddenly felt… frozen in time, his senior laughing and talking with the brunette in front of him, and Yuu felt… god, he just felt  _ so  _ full of the many emotions that were threatening to wreck his whole being and make him crumble right then and there.

_ What was Kouyou doing? _

“Yuu, let's grab some more drinks, you’re almost finished with yours.”

Yuu was still stunned by what was happening and it took him time to register what was going on. He took a final glance at Kouyou only to catch the sight of him touching a strand of the girl’s hair, curling it in between his fingers…  _ playing  _ with it.

Yuu’s heart was beginning to crack and the raven felt… betrayed, in a way that almost made him sick, his insecurities boiling to a point where he nearly felt like throwing up.

“Yuu?”

“Okay.”

He quickly turned to Akira and, ignoring the questioning look of the student, Yuu quickly made his way back to the kitchen where he got another mixture of alcohol, desperately hoping for it to soothe him… or at least, a little.

~

Some time had passed as Yuu finally filled his glass again before taking the chance to leave Akira behind and escape his strangely watchful eyes, returning to the living room where he hoped to find the blond president still talking with the anonymous girl.

Unfortunately, Kouyou was nowhere to be seen this time, and Yuu felt the same sickening feeling from earlier make his chest go tight.

_ Where was Kouyou now? _

Yuu looked around a couple more times and  _ still  _ didn’t find Kouyou anywhere in sight. He began to panic almost immediately as his gaze kept searching for the president, but he was nowhere to be seen.

The raven didn’t give up yet, though, and he roamed around the crowd, going through the rest of the rooms in the house, still desperate to catch any sight of the blond. He had such a bad feeling in his heart, his paranoid thoughts making his heartache grow by the minute. His feelings made him feel so vulnerable that he wondered if the curious gazes thrown at him were because of his obvious, pathetic state. He almost didn’t care that he was alone, avoiding the company of his classmates, as his heart desired to be comforted by no other than the person who owned it instead.

As nearly twenty minutes had passed, Yuu felt another dreadful feeling nestle inside of him. His imagination was slowly beginning to pick up on the picture and as he retreated to one of the corners of the room (whilst successfully avoiding Hana’s gaze a few times as the girl appeared to also be looking for someone… or perhaps Yuu?) he emptied half of his drink, still desperately trying to find comfort in anything, not caring of its nature anymore. He was… lonely, and… hurt. And so,  _ so  _ confused, his body feeling the chills of betrayal run through the thin lines of his patience as he waited,  _ wondered… _

There must have been  _ some  _ kind of explanation, and being the stubborn gay he was, Yuu refused to believe that Kouyou would hurt him. Kouyou was different…  _ or  _ the raven was simply too intoxicated to think straight, and his love for the president was influencing him harder than ever, turning him blind and more desperate than ever.

He then caught sight of Akira’s covered face being followed by a taller blond as he entered the kitchen at the back, and Yuu’s heart skipped a beat.

Kouyou.

Yuu moved between the people in the crowd in front of him and his heart drummed like mad. He couldn’t wait to finally talk to the blond, his resurrected hope pushing him further until he reached the kitchen at last.

He remained quiet and didn’t make much noise as he heard their voices little before he entered the room.

Kouyou’s back was facing him and Yuu felt relief wash through him, but it didn’t last long.

“No, seriously, Aki. I’m a completely new man. I should have listened to you earlier.”

_ Wait, what…? _

“No fuckin’ kidding, I can’t believe you waited so long to bang someone. Even the color of your face has changed.”

At the simple exchange, Yuu’s heart cracked completely as his limbs felt numb and the glass he was still holding slipped from his fingers, making contact with the floor a second later.

The loud, unmistakable shattering of glass scared Kouyou out of his conversation with Akira, the sound coming from behind him and making him turn around to see what had caused the commotion.

Kouyou's face went pale when he saw the cause. Yuu had been standing there, no doubt having walked in on his and Akira's conversation. The poor, poor raven was probably so in shock, he was probably afraid having been left alone with Akira by Kouyou, only to return to his president to find out that he left him to have sex with someone, when he promised Yuu he would stay by his side for the entire night; when he promised to protect him, to keep him safe and to be there for him.

Kouyou had fucked up. As he tried to yell out for Yuu, the younger boy had already fled. He had to explain this to Yuu; he didn't know how, and he didn't know how to make excuses for his actions. He may have not even had sex with the girl he went upstairs with, but just the fact that he'd had the intention to was fucked up, and he had to say something,  _ anything _ , to Yuu.

His poor Yuu, who was so fragile. The shy new student who didn't deserve any of this.

Just like Yuu's glass, an immense pain gripped Kouyou's chest as he felt his heart break into shards. He could only manage a soft whisper as he watched Yuu go, his body feeling like it was shutting down.

"Yuu, don't go, I'm so sorry..."

"Kouyou." Akira's stern voice yanked his best friend out of his sorrow momentarily, as did the hand he placed on Kouyou's shoulder. "Kouyou... fuck, I'm so sorry man.” The blond's voice progressively got softer as he realized the severity of the situation.

Kouyou was hurt. He was angry. He didn't deserve to be, and he didn't know why he was. But the mix of overwhelming emotions blending with the intoxication of his system was so much, he was a mess and he didn't know what the fuck was going on.

"Kou, come on... let's drink a little more, we're here to have fun." Akira didn't understand and that frustrated Kouyou even more. Kouyou himself didn't, either, and so he couldn't blame Akira for wanting to turn to alcohol instead of facing the situation head on so soon, but... Fuck, what was he going to do? Kouyou was so worried about Yuu.

Regardless, Kouyou was too overwhelmed to argue, and allowed Akira to mix him another drink.

The blond downed Akira's mixture pretty quickly, and then another one after that. By the end of them, he was so hammered he had no concept of time, of anything;he could barely even acknowledge the fact that he was at a party.

But one thing his mind couldn't let go of was Yuu.

Yuu... Kouyou had to find him.

_ "Yuuuuuu! _ Where are you?!" Kouyou slurred loudly over the music, Akira slightly more sober and having to monitor Kouyou's every move, making sure he wouldn't pass out on his face or do anything too stupid. But he knew he had to reunite his best friend with Yuu, and so he helped guide Kouyou amongst the crowds, searching for the raven-haired boy that Kouyou was so intent on finding. Akira didn't understand the situation, but apparently, Kouyou had done something to upset Yuu, and Yuu had run off without a chance to let Kouyou explain himself. And now Kouyou had drank himself into oblivion over that boy.

"Yuu! Please, I need to talk to  _ youuuuu!" _

"Kouyou! Over there, with Yutaka!" And... a girl? The same girl from earlier, Akira realized upon closer inspection. Hana. She was talking casually with the two younger boys, but Akira noticed how she was more focused on Yuu, her long lashes batting at him and leaving fleeting touches on his arm. He didn't miss how Yuu blushed at her presence, Yutaka teasing the two of them. "Kou, he's... with Hana."

"Hana?! No! No, no!" Kouyou bellowed, Akira struggling to keep his best friend in check as he thrashed about like a child throwing a temper tantrum. Jesus Christ. Thank god most of the other people at the party were just as drunk, which meant they probably wouldn’t remember seeing their president like this... "Not Hana! Get him away from her! Yuu! Yutaka!"

Akira didn't miss Yuu glance over at the two seniors. The raven didn’t even know how he ended up talking to the girl and his classmate, nor knew what possessed him to do the inevitable next.

Yuu placed a light kiss upon Hana's cheek.

And Kouyou saw it.

And Kouyou was furious, drunk, and unpredictable.

Akira realized this once Kouyou had escaped his clutches, and was wobbling over to steal Yuu away from Hana and Yutaka, literally. He'd wrapped his strong arms around Yuu's small waist and was pulling him away from the situation he apparently found so offensive, and Akira was stopped dead in his tracks at what he was seeing. What the actual fuck was wrong with Kouyou? Hadn't he gotten laid?!

"Yuu! Yuu, I'm... I'm sorry, don't leave me for  _ her _ ever again! I'll never leave you alone, I'm so sorry!" Kouyou was rambling, his drunkenness taking way over and making him spout nothing but nonsense as Yuu struggled in the senior's grasp. He totally didn’t expect the hammered blond to attack him the way he did and Yuu felt like crying having his senior tugging at his waist, which made him even more furious because of the betrayal. Thankfully, escaping wasn't too difficult, considering how weakened Kouyou had become thanks to... everything.

"Okay, Akira. I'll take it from here," Yuu reassured the wide-eyed blond as Kouyou tried to scoop Yuu back up again. Holy fuck. Kouyou hadn't been this drunk in a long, long time...

"No fuckin' way, you can't handle him on your own."

"Fine. Just help me get him outside, then."

Akira nodded and helped him as they both managed to get Kouyou out of the house, going through the back door and making sure there weren’t anymore witnesses. Kouyou was butchering his reputation and as hurt as Yuu was, the student couldn’t escape the worry in his heart. Kouyou looked bad and the boy wondered what had gotten into him so suddenly, knowing quite well that this was totally not like him… the blond had always been aware of his role-model position as president, always keeping his image intact.

And that thought saddened Yuu immediately as he realized he had known Kouyou for only a few weeks, which was enough for the raven to fall in love with him, but… did he really know his senior at all?

What if this, right now, was the real Kouyou, and Yuu had been deceived?

No. He didn’t care if the love he felt for him was clouding his judgement again. Yuu absolutely refused to believe that. 

They had to get out of there, though, before Kouyou did something to completely ruin his image in front of everyone. At least they weren’t in the house anymore.

“I swear, Yuu, I haven’t seen him like this in years. I don’t understand.” Akira’s worried voice was still rambling as he helped Yuu put Kouyou down for a moment, and the blond sat on the stairs in front of the back door.

“I can’t carry him, I’ll order a taxi.” Yuu took out his phone and searched for the app, but  felt a hand circling around his hips, pulling him closer.

_ What the hell?! _

“Please don’t leave me, Yuu.” The blond tightened his grip as Yuu tried to push him away, but Kouyou was much stronger than he was, despite his drunken state. The situation was getting worse, and the young teen was panicking for real now.

“Can you go get our jackets? I’ll handle this,” Yuu begged, and Akira thankfully didn’t wait for a second invitation, leaving them alone on the stairs, Kouyou still grabbing at Yuu’s hips. The boy quickly called for a cab and sighed.

“Kouyou…” the boy whispered, but his senior didn’t respond this time.

Yuu’s heart was in pain and he tried to remain calm, despite the rising temperature of his blood, threatening to burn his skin. He was in an agony that he couldn’t understand and, despite the fact that the blond seemed clingy and desperate now, Yuu couldn’t ignore the reality of their situation.

As much as it hurt, Yuu had no right to be mad at Kouyou. His senior was a normal student with normal desires for their age. Going after girls and seeking their attention was the most normal thing the boy could do, and Yuu couldn’t blame him. It was selfish to expect that he would have the blond all to himself someday… and it hurt him, seeing how stupid he was to let himself think he had won the president’s attention for himself. Kouyou’s clinginess right now was nothing more than the aftermath of his irresponsible drinking tonight, and as much as he hated it, Yuu ignored the fury and the pain burning his insides. It was a mistake, after all, and he really shouldn’t have come to this goddamn party, but now he had to take responsibility for his stupidity.

Straight guys were all the same.

As soon as Akira was back, the taxi arrived and Yuu managed to release himself from Kouyou’s grip. They managed to put him inside the car despite his drunken protests, and Yuu hesitated before getting inside the car as well. Nonetheless, he did sit next to Kouyou in the backseat, assuring their friend that he would handle this.

Things turned for the worst, though, immediately after Yuu told the driver Kouyou’s address, causing another tantrum by the blond.

“No, don’t wanna go… there,” he begged, and almost fell on top of the younger student as he tried to grab at his body.

“Kouyou, you have to go home. You need sleep.”

“No, I hate it there, please don’t leave me... there.” His senior was totally knocked out as he hugged the raven, and his body trembled for some reason. Yuu felt the senior’s warmth engulf him almost immediately, but for some reason… he felt sick.

Yuu gave his own address to the driver then, before trying to push Kouyou away from him, but with no success. He tried to ignore the occasional suspicious looks that were thrown at them and thought of a plan on how to get to his room without waking up his mom.

It didn’t take long until they were finally at his house, though, and after paying the driverm Yuu gathered all of his strength and self control, hauling Kouyou out of the car and supporting him to his front door after that.

He was definitely in big trouble and he knew this wouldn’t slip by his mother. The disappointment that he was about to cause her was inevitable, and a punishment was probably on its way too. But he deserved it; for being stupid and not learning his lesson the first time.

He opened the door carefully as to not make any unnecessary sounds and walked inside, letting Kouyou hold him by the waist, too scared that he would throw another drunken tantrum if he tried to escape his hands.

He tried his best to not make a sound as they walked past the door of his mother’s room, and Yuu freaked out on the inside seeing the light coming from the gap underneath the door. She was awake. She knew they were here, but she wasn’t coming out to greet them. He mentally thanked her for this uncharacteristic decision of hers and reached his room a second later.

As they walked in, Kiko stirred on his bed and stared at them with frightened eyes, meowing faintly in the silence of his room.

It made Yuu’s heart ache again and he closed the door behind them before dumping the blond on his bed, causing him to growl with frustration. And as soon as he pulled away, Kouyou was back at it again.

“No,” he hissed, coming back to his senses, his hand finding its way to grab at Yuu’s wrist with force that made the raven wince in pain.

“Let me go.” Yuu was beginning to lose his patience, and soon after the words left his lips, Kouyou grabbed at both of his wrists, yanking him closer. ”Kouyou, just go to sleep. You need rest.”

“No, I don’t need sleep. I need you. I need Yuu.”

And then Yuu’s strength suddenly left his body as Kouyou’s words sank deeply into his mind and heart. The blond yanked at his wrists again, making the raven finally clash with the sheets next to his senior.

Strong hands circled around Yuu’s waist and his body was pulled into a warm embrace that melted all of his fury, leaving only the pain of his broken heart remnant inside of him. He didn’t move and simply submitted to Kouyou’s ministrations, letting his own hands travel up to the blond strands of hair as the president nestled his face in the crook of Yuu’s neck.

The boy sensed fingers caressing his back and he felt like crying, tears finally threatening to spill as he realized how much he needed Kouyou’s touch and presence himself. His breathing picked up its pace as soon as he felt that familiar warmth against his body, but in a totally new, unfamiliar way as the president clung desperately to the younger’s trembling form. 

“Please… don’t hate me,” Kouyou cried out, his breath caressing the pale skin on Yuu’s neck, while the boy tangled his fingers in the president’s hair tighter, feeling and enjoying its softness for the first time. It was silky smooth with a scent so heavenly it caressed the raven’s senses in the most suggestive and intoxicating ways possible, more powerful than any form of alcohol taken tonight. His muscles quickly relaxed, the tension in them now tamed by the forbidden perfection he was finally able to hold so close in his hands.

Yuu’s eyes slowly shut after that, and he finally spoke, his voice low as a whisper “I don’t hate you.”

Kouyou’s fingers tightened into fists then, tugging at the black shirt on the raven’s back, and Yuu’s mind suddenly went blank. He felt so tired and so numb and he couldn’t take any more of his heart’s torment. Hence he decided to silently enjoy the way Kouyou felt against himself… just this time, and he tightened his eyes, feeling the exhaustion paralyze his body.

“You smell… beautiful.” Kouyou’s voice felt just as soothing as the hand that traveled up to Yuu’s hair, undoing its tie, tangling deeply into the wild strands a second later.

“It’s like... violets.”

Their legs slowly tangled with each other’s and Yuu felt himself becoming completely lost in the moment, falling deeper into the dreamland of his love for the blond.

“I love violets."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh dear

Kouyou awoke to a pounding headache and a weak, numb body. Everything either hurt, or couldn't be felt. Everything... seemed wrong. What was going on?

The blond's eyelids were too heavy to open just yet, and since nobody was telling him to wake up, he figured he could get away with a few more minutes. Or an hour. Honestly, Kouyou just wanted to sleep all day. He'd started to recall the party last night, and figured he was hungover as all fuck. He tried to tune in to his surroundings but found himself unable; it didn't matter, anyways. He was at home, still in his day clothes apparently, and in his own bed. Alone, as he always fell asleep and woke up to be.

A stirring in his arms alerted him that, actually, no, he wasn't alone; he hadn't noticed the body pressed up against his, its warmth radiating into his. Thank god; Kouyou had missed Shiro, also known as: his only source of company and comfort when he was at home. He smiled softly to himself as he began to pet the dog, feeling it wriggle ever so slightly in his grasp. His arms were wrapped around his shiba, holding him tight, and a few strands of his fur tickled his nose.

...Weird. The dog's fur didn't smell like dog. It smelled like.... violets? Hmm, maybe his maid had washed the dog in his absence, making sure to use violet-scented shampoo as it was Kouyou's favourite smell. He'd have to thank her later.

His hands continued to roam along the surface of his pet, but before long found themselves resting on something kind of squishy. He kneaded it softly, the weight and surface area a perfect fit for his big hands, finding it to be pleasantly round. Had the maid overfed Shiro in Kouyou's absence, as well? The president didn't recall his shiba being so cushiony.

And... hairless?

Why did Shiro feel like the material of jeans?

And why was Shiro starting to groan like a human as he awoke from his slumber?

"Mm..."

Hold on a second.

Kouyou squished whatever was in his hold again. It... definitely wasn't a dog.

The dog fur up his nose... it certainly didn't belong to a dog.

The warm body in his arms... it was absolutely _not the body of a dog._

"Stop... stop touching me there..."

The being that comforted him, that warmed him and kept him safe... wasn't what he had thought it to be at all.

The inside of Kouyou went up in hot flames as he realized... he wasn't holding Shiro.

He was holding Yuu.

...

Holy. Fucking. _Shit._

Kouyou's eyelids instantly flew open. As he looked around, vision still slightly foggy thanks to last night's drinking, he could recognize his surroundings as Yuu's bedroom. He recognized the soft strands under his nose to be the dark head of hair that rightfully belonged to a certain raven boy that had managed to flip Kouyou's world upside down in the most peculiar ways. He recognized the body he was holding to be the body he'd subconsciously fantasized about when he tried to have sex with that girl at the party. He recognized Yuu; in his arms, laying on Kouyou's chest as Kouyou laid on his back.

And Kouyou almost had a heart attack when he realized that the squishy things he'd been holding in his palms were... the squishy mounds of Yuu's ass.

_What. In. The. FUCK._

Kouyou had so many questions. His breathing rate began to pick up, endless trains of thoughts entering and exiting and swirling around his mind, making him wince as his head pounded harder and more painfully.

_What happened last night?!_

Inside, Kouyou was screaming, crying, and calling out for help. He was afraid, and he was confused. He couldn't remember anything that had happened after... after Yuu had walked in on Kouyou boasting to Akira about how much of a changed man he was after allegedly banging the chick he took upstairs, even though... he never did what he claimed.

And for some reason, Kouyou wanted Yuu to know that.

Actually, Kouyou had so many things he wanted to say to Yuu. He had so many questions, he was beyond disoriented and he didn't know what the fuck was going on.

...He wasn't even sure if he wanted to know. And in the state he was in, awfully hungover and currently trapped under Yuu's warm, comforting, small body that he couldn't help but wrap his arms around and hold close, he couldn't bring himself to do anything more than breathe in the beautiful scent of the raven's locks and indulge in the feeling of having another human body so close to his own. It'd been way too long, and Yuu's seemed to fit so, so perfectly against Kouyou's, almost like a puzzle piece.

He didn't understand anything. He didn't understand how Yuu, another boy, could fit so seamlessly against himself. He didn't understand why he wasn't shoving Yuu off and running away. He didn't understand why his breaths were shallow and his heart rate a horse in the races.

Most of all, Kouyou didn't understand what all of this meant. Kouyou was afraid. Because the little raven brought him comfort like he'd never felt before. He brought him peace; he brought him more happiness than he thought he could ever possess.

Yuu was so perfect. And Kouyou desperately hoped he hadn't lost him after whatever had happened last night. Kouyou wouldn't be able to live with himself if he fucked up and had given up Yuu for some stupid drunk decisions that he couldn't even remember. He just couldn't.

With a pained sigh, Kouyou decided to let his worries go. Just for a moment. Just while he had Yuu in his grasp, while the world belonged to them and them only. While Yuu was his.

Kouyou blinked his eyes to prevent the cloudy tears from spilling out.

His body still hurt and his eyelids threatened to close at any moment, the first step into slipping into a deep sleep again. But he wanted to cherish this moment. He wanted to keep holding the boy in his arms, because he knew he would never be able to again.

The fact that he actually wanted this to happen _again_ frightened Kouyou dearly.

Fuck. Everything was so, so fucked up. Why the hell was Kouyou enjoying it so much? Why was he so worried about hurting Yuu? Why did he feel the aching need to apologize to Yuu, for everything? Why did he want to fix Yuu if he had broken him? Why did Kouyou care so damn much about this new student?

A strange feeling in Kouyou's stomach paused his inner turmoil momentarily. It felt heavy and it burned, the odd stinging sensation creeping up from his digestive system through to his throat. His eyes widened as he realized what was happening to his body.

Kouyou shoved Yuu off of him as he bolted for the bathroom, slamming the door shut before getting on his knees and vomiting violently into the toilet.

Kouyou couldn't stay here. He had to leave as soon as possible, but the bile that kept rising from his stomach and projecting out of his mouth kept him from doing so.

And then the door handle shook, scaring another bout of vomit from Kouyou's mouth, and he didn't need to turn around to know that it was Yuu who was standing behind him, observing him in one of his most vulnerable states. The younger was worried his feelings throwing an inner tantrum and he tried to soothe Kouyou with his voice.

"Oh, Kouyou..."

"G-get out,” Kouyou spluttered, gripping the sides of the toilet seat with his hands. He didn't want to see Yuu. Not when he was so confused, and so angry, and in such a disgusting, vulnerable position.

When he felt Yuu's hand on his back, Kouyou started sobbing.

"Yuu, I'm sick... don't... don't come near me," he choked out through embarrassing tears and strings of saliva dripping down the corners of his mouth. "Go away, please... I don't want to infect you..." Even though Kouyou knew very well that he didn't have a virus. It was his body's way of ridding him from the alcohol in his system, as well as the thoughts Kouyou had earlier; he'd practically worried himself to the point of throwing up.

And yet when Yuu was tucking the strands of Kouyou's hair behind his ear so they wouldn't fall into the toilet, Kouyou couldn't bring didn't himself to fight back. He was torn.

"I need to go home. Please let me go home, Yuu.”

Upon hearing the blond’s request, Yuu simply sighed.

He didn’t care how odd or embarrassing the situation was for his senior. He wanted to help him, desperately, and so he tried his best to keep the blond strands away at the back of Kouyou’s head.

Yuu was hurt, even though he didn’t know why. He was still sleepy and his whole body was in pain, but Kouyou was more important. Therefore, Yuu kept caressing his shoulder blades until the boy stopped vomiting.

Kouyou’s body began to shake and Yuu’s heart felt like it was about to burst from the worry weighing it down.

“Kou…” He tried to speak, but the blond interrupted him immediately.

“I need to wash my face.”

He then helped his senior stand up and watched silently as he washed his face and teeth. When Kouyou was finally done and turned around to face him, Yuu felt terrified.

“Kouyou, you look pale,” he whispered, hand reaching up to touch the president’s face, flinching after realizing how warm it was. “You’re burning”

“I’m fine, Yuu. I just feel sick because of the drinks.” The blond smiled as he tried to reassure the shorter boy in his words, but it didn’t work.

Yuu was fucking worried.

“Just go back to my room and rest. I’ll make you some tea.”

“No, I have to go home.” Kouyou was serious as he spoke, his tone sending chills down Yuu’s spine.

“I can’t let you leave like this. Not until you feel better…”

“Please, Yuu.”

The pleading voice of his senior caressed Yuu’s heart in a familiar way, which made his stubbornness diminish in seconds. It didn’t change the fact that Kouyou looked like a fucking ghost now, though.

“I’ll make you tea, and then you can go.”

“No, I don’t want your mother to see me like this.” Kouyou shook his head and gripped the sink with his hand, his eyes avoiding Yuu’s as he continued to speak. “I can’t believe you’ve  already seen me in this state. I really don’t do this often and I’m extremely disappointed in myself, Yuu. Please just let me go home”

He looked so defeated and genuine that Yuu’s already broken heart ached deep within the boy’s chest. Kouyou really was ashamed, and the raven couldn’t blame him. Therefore, despite that he didn’t want him to leave yet, Yuu decided to not continue the argument and further and just go with the blond’s desires.

“You have to text me and let me know that you’re fine, once you get home.” His voice was stern and left no room for objections. Kouyou nodded a second later and smiled again, returning his gaze to the boy in front of him.

“I promise.”

~

Yuu was sitting in the couch of his living room, watching TV with hollow eyes. He had just returned home from school and was supposed to do his homework, but was much too distracted. Kouyou never left his thoughts, not once since he left Yuu’s house after the drunken night they spent together, and he had been missing from school the past two days, as well.

Yuu never received the text that Kouyou promised him, but the boy didn’t dare look for him at his house. He called Akira instead, who assured him that Kouyou was fine and this was normal, considering the blond hadn’t been so wrecked in a very long time.

Yuu had questions, though. His mind was spinning faster and faster as each day had passed, and he felt guilt… worry.

It was tormenting him with great force and the raven found that he hadn’t smiled or talked much since then. He absolutely avoided Hana at school, denying her request to eat lunch together and not apologizing after that. He didn’t have any strength left; he just couldn’t care anymore. He had spent a good amount of time thinking about what Kouyou had done at the party and it was confusing him further and further, especially when he recalled everything the blond did afterwards.

He remembered every moment from the night he had spent with the blond. His sheets and his shirt still smelled of Kouyou’s expensive cologne, and he hadn’t yet washed them as he kept delving back into his memories. He had never been so close to the person he liked and it was wrecking his mind, his body; his everything. The way his senior touched him and held him in his sleep, the way their bodies fit together, the way Yuu tried to move away in the middle of the night, but Kouyou only pulled him closer, hugging him tightly as he caressed his head. The warmth that coaxed the raven into the deepest sleep he had in years was something he couldn’t forget so soon. Laying on top of his senior and feeling every curve of his body was like a dream coming true, and it made Yuu feel hot more than once since then—it was hurting him deeply.

Kouyou was drunk at that time, though.

He probably didn’t remember anything.

_Wait, what if he did?_

Yuu’s heart quickened its speed and the boy’s guilt was back to torment him for the hundredth time. What if Kouyou remembered… and hated Yuu now, and therefore was ignoring him and not answering his texts.

Yuu was a mess. As he waited for his mom to come back from work, he felt even more pressured than before. He couldn’t do this anymore, he had to see Kouyou or he was bound to go mad.

Yuu quickly got up from his seat and didn’t even change out of his uniform as he took his backpack, throwing Mario Kart in it just in case.

He left the house in such a rush that he almost forgot to lock the front door. After making sure he was all set, Yuu entered the store nearby and bought juice, some cold tea with vitamins, and lots of chocolate.

Soon after that, the boy managed to silence all of the alarms in his head, and was finally enroute to Kouyou’s house.

~

He just wanted answers. He was tired, so, so tired, of driving himself insane over the confusion, misunderstandings, anxieties and fears that were running wild within the dark confines of his mind. He was tired of rotting away as he waited, but didn't receive the answers he seeked. Tired of thinking about a boy who showed up out of nowhere only to make him rethink everything he thought he knew.

Kouyou was tired.

Because frankly, he didn't even know if he wanted to face the reality of the answers he was so desperate for.

He was so scared of what it meant to have enjoyed Yuu in his arms so much, to have the smaller boy warming up his entire body and making him feel the safest he had in a long time. He couldn't even remember what it felt like to be lonely when he was with Yuu; Yuu dissipated all of his worries, his sadness and his fear.

Yuu had brought him more comfort than any person had brought him before. Yuu made him feel so many powerful emotions he'd never felt before, not even around his ex girlfriend, or any girl crush he'd ever had. And that scared Kouyou.

Because worst of all, Yuu was a boy, and Kouyou was a boy.

Kouyou wasn't a _fag_ , as Akira and his other jock friends would often put it. He wasn't. He liked girls—he liked boobs and he liked vaginas.

If that was true, why did Kouyou feel so repulsed by the large assets of the girl he'd tried to have sex with at the party? Why was he expecting to reach into her pants and find the opposite of what he did?

Why did Yuu's masculine body fit so perfectly against Kouyou's own?

Why did Kouyou get so damn _hot_ when his subconscious replaced that girl with thoughts of Yuu—

"Enough!"

The bark of his own voice yanked Kouyou out of his uncomfortable thoughts, and he threw his hand over his face as he groaned. He was wasting away in his bedroom, not showing up to school and instead wallowing in his overwhelming amount of emotions. Kouyou knew he had to go back to school soon, it wasn't good for him as a senior and student president to neglect his duties.

But he didn't know how he would face Yuu. Not after everything that happened. Kouyou doubted Yuu would even want to look in his general direction after how much of an ass he turned out to be at the party, and the thought made his heart hurt. He wanted to clear the air with the raven, but... he just didn't know how

It was then that Shiro came trotting into the bedroom, Kouyou removing his hand from his face so he could take a look at his dog. The shiba came up to the edge of the bed, standing up and putting his front legs onto it. Kouyou rolled over to face him and snuggled closer.

"Shiro, what do I do?" He asked, even though he knew his pet didn't understand. It just felt good to talk aloud after a few days of living inside of his mind. "I don't know what I feel for Yuu. He confuses me so much, and I don't know what to say or do. I should probably start with apologizing to him, shouldn't I? After what I did at the party...'

Shiro's ears perked up as he listened to his master talk.

Master. Another thing that made Kouyou think of Yuu. How the boy fed his kitten by hand to build trust with her, because he didn't want her to think of him as her owner.

"Shiro, do you trust me?" Kouyou asked, reaching a hand out to pet his dog. Shiro wagged his tail and smiled the heart-warming smile only a dog could possess. Even though he couldn't understand Kouyou, his reaction made Kouyou smile, too. "I'd hope so. Because I think I lost all of Yuu's."

Shiro let out a whine at that, sensing the change in Kouyou's emotional state.

God, Kouyou couldn't get Yuu out of his head for more than a minute at a time.

"How about we go get you some food?" Kouyou offered to his pup, throwing the sheets off of himself and getting up off of the bed. He needed some sort of a distraction. He couldn't let himself waste away any longer.

But he knew he had to do something, anything, to at least let Yuu know he had the maturity to own up to his mistakes, even if Yuu never wanted to talk to him again.

Maybe it would be best if Yuu never talked to him again, though. As much as the thought pained Kouyou dearly, it hurt him just as much to have these unclear feelings buzzing around within his mind. Maybe if Yuu left, Kouyou wouldn't have to deal with them anymore.

Kouyou didn't know what he wanted.

~

"Okay, let's see if this works," Kouyou murmured as he poured a little bit of kibble into the palm of his hand instead of Shiro's bowl. He stretched his arm out in front of the dog, and to Kouyou's immense relief, his shiba ate it up yum-yum.

At least Shiro still trusted him.

_Ding dong._

The sound of the doorbell startled Kouyou, a few of the kibble bits falling him his palm to the floor, which his dog promptly vacuumed up with his tongue.

Kouyou straightened up and scrunched his nose in judgement. Who could possibly be here right now?

Nonetheless, as much as he just wanted to cut off contact with the entire world and coop himself up all day, Kouyou's curiosity was getting to him and he was striding over to his front door. With bated breath, Kouyou reached for the handle and opened the door...

...to be met face-to-face with the little raven who hadn't left his thoughts once these past few days. The little raven who drove him mad, who confused him, who brought him so much happiness he felt he couldn't contain it.

But now, Kouyou just felt... so overwhelmed, he didn't know what he was feeling. To see Yuu after he abandoned him for so many days, Kouyou couldn't believe it. He merely stared at the shorter boy as his eyes went wide, Yuu peering up at him through those lovely, dark eyes of his. Kouyou could feel his breath hitch in his chest when Yuu spoke.

"Are you mad at me?"

_Yuu... I could never, ever be mad at you. Nothing you do could ever make me angry._

"...I'm not."

_Yuu... you're driving me mad and I can't get you out of my head. Yuu, why do I feel like this?_

"Oh."

_Yuu... I don't understand. Please tell me what's going on._

"Yuu.... I'm so sorry." And then before Kouyou could even think about his actions, he grabbed Yuu by the wrists and pulled him inside.

~

"You must be mad at me. You must be furious. And I deserve it, Yuu. I deserve every ounce of your hatred towards me for the way I acted at that party. I don't deserve you here, after I abandoned you. I don't deserve to have you come back to me after I promised to protect you, but I threw you to the curb instead. Yuu, I'm so sorry."

And Kouyou spilled, and spilled, and spilled. He didn't know if he would ever get a chance like this one again, to come clean to Yuu. "I... I didn't have sex with that girl. But I regret leaving you to go off with her. So, so much." Kouyou didn't know why he felt the need to tell Yuu he didn't do anything with the girl, but something inside him told him it was the right thing to do. "And if you'll forgive me, I'll never let it happen again. Please."

Kouyou was begging. He was so vulnerable in front of Yuu. He always let his guard down, exposing sides to Yuu that he didn't even know he possessed himself.

Now that Yuu had returned, Kouyou was going to do everything in his power to make him stay.

Because the thought of Yuu leaving hurt Kouyou more than the confusion over his feelings did.

"Don't leave me like you did that night. Please." Kouyou had no right to be asking for such a thing after Kouyou had left Yuu himself, but he couldn't stop himself from pleading anyways.

"Kouyou..." Yuu went quiet, the silence agonizingly painful for Kouyou, before slipping his backpack off. "I... brought you some things."

Kouyou almost started crying when Yuu revealed his goodies. Tea, juice, chocolate, snacks, and… was that Mario Kart he saw?

How that boy managed to so easily break him only to build him back up again escaped Kouyou.

"Thank you, Yuu." The blond couldn't stop smiling, and that smile was all that Yuu needed right now. The blond already looked a lot more like himself as they prepared the living room for their Mario Kart session.

Yuu sat on the soft carpet, crossing his legs and staring off into nothing at the space in front of him as he waited for Kouyou to return from the kitchen.

Kouyou… hadn’t had sex with that girl at the party. He left him, yes, but he didn’t actually commit the act Yuu was hurt over. And the raven was happier than ever, feeling relief and enjoying his time with the blond senior again.

He didn’t bother to ask Kouyou what happened, as Yuu felt like the fact that the blond had the need to confess this to him was enough. His thoughts were still spinning and the chaos of multiple emotions inside of him were just as destructive as before, but at least now… he had the blond to soothe him, and bring him comfort—even if it was temporary.

Kouyou was feeling guilty and now, after it was all clear between them, Yuu decided that he would simply enjoy their time together. He had realised how much he missed the blond and maybe, just maybe, he was now dependent on Kouyou’s presence in his life... but he didn’t care.

Kouyou would probably never know how some things he did, no matter how big or how small, affected the raven in the most painful ways. But truthfully, Yuu was okay with that—as long as he had the blond in his life.

He loved him that much already.

~

Reaching up to grab a pair of glasses from a cupboard with a huff, Kouyou’s mind began to race with thoughts and questions previously discarded entirely as he’d been much too preoccupied by the possibility of Yuu being unforgiving of his drunk doings. Things like… Yuu must have brought Kouyou back to his house, right? Why Yuu’s, why hadn't the senior been brought back to his own?

Or most prevalent in his mind, how the _hell_ had they ended up in Yuu’s bed again, _cuddling_ for fuck’s sake? Did they fall asleep like that, was Yuu aware of what they'd done?

If he was, what did the raven think about it all?

Kouyou felt his chest grow tight at the thought, gripping the edge of the countertop after placing the glasses down onto it. Did Yuu know that _Kouyou_ knew? If he did, why hadn't he said anything? Or if he didn't, how was Kouyou supposed to bring it up to him? _Should_ he bring it up?

“Stop it,” the blond cursed under his breath to himself, shaking his head clear as he reached for the glasses once again. Maybe forgetting about the unclear situation entirely was the best idea, but nonetheless, it was much easier said than done. As he returned to the living room, the thoughts were annoyingly stuck in the forefront of his mind as Shiro trotted behind him, eyes fixated on the raven already positioned on the floor.

They poured some juice and prepared the chocolate as Kouyou finally sat down next to Yuu on the carpet (albeit a good few feet away from Yuu, because the awkwardness of the situation had definitely dawned on him, whether Yuu was aware of it or not), resting his back on the short table behind them.

“I can’t believe how much candy you brought,” the blond smirked as he looked at all of the chocolate in front of them, attempting to lighten his own mood with a distraction. “Are you sure we can eat it all?”

“I think you already know how much I eat. It won't be a problem at all.” The raven smiled, while Kouyou eyed him with a suspicious look on his face.

Yuu’s lighthearted response was enough to ease Kouyou’s internal distress, even just for a moment; the blond was thankful, as the situation was as if nothing had ever happened between them. Of course, he’d have to be an idiot to believe it would last forever, but for right now, the awkwardness in the air was fairly dissipated.

Meanwhile, Yuu was just happy to be spending time with his senior once more, his mind void of anything but what was happening right now, in the moment.

“I have yet to find out the secret of where you store all of that stuff inside of you.”

“Hmm.” Yuu hummed as he looked around, avoiding the gaze of his senior as he suddenly felt heat rising up to his cheeks again. A constant reminder of what that boy was capable of doing to his feelings. “We can play a game. Like, on each level, the winner gets one piece of chocolate.”

“Oh, challenge accepted.” Kouyou looked competitive as he spoke, a small spark forming in his eyes. Yuu couldn’t help but snort at the blond’s words.

“I already know I’ll be eating all the chocolate.”

“You wish!” The blond smirked again and jabbed at Yuu’s ribs with his elbow, causing Yuu to hiss in both frustration and pain.

They grabbed the two controllers from the table and as they played, Yuu’s skills proved to be superior once again. An hour later and one of the chocolate bars was already gone, leaving the raven feeling full and Kouyou’s stomach growling like an angry Shiro who hadn’t been fed in a week.

Yuu was smiling wide as his gaze fell on the second chocolate on the table, practically calling his name, and Kouyou’s eyes narrowed into slits.

“Don’t even think about it. We still have one more level to go.”

“Like you would suddenly turn into the best player ever and finally beat me.”

“Have mercy on my sugarless soul...”

“Make me.”

Yuu was quick and grabbed at the chocolate a second later, but Kouyou smacked his hand and the piece was yanked from the raven’s grip, falling to the floor just barely a metre away from them.

They both remained still for couple of seconds, considering their possibilities and wondering who had the better chance to get the candy, and then Yuu tried to move, but the blond pushed him to the side and the boy rolled on his back.

He saw Kouyou aiming for the chocolate and his instincts reacted immediately. He rose up and grabbed the blond, yanking him to the side, but then…

He found himself back on the floor, Kouyou’s hands tickling the sides of his waist and Yuu felt a rush of adrenaline that he had never felt before.

“Kouyou, stop!” Yuu laughed and thrashed on the floor as he tried to escape, but he had underestimated his senior already. He was in trouble because Kouyou’s strength presented itself a moment later. Yuu tried to free himself and, despite the pushing he did to the blond’s frame, Kouyou didn’t budge even one bit.

“Kou…!” His eyes were teary now, still laughing at the way Kouyou’s fingers roamed his torso. The blond smirked and giggled as he caught the raven’s wrists and locked them in a tight grip on both sides of Yuu’s head.

They fought for dominance just a couple seconds more. Yuu’s thighs clamped tightly around the blond’s hips as the taller boy pushed himself on top of the shorter, restraining his movements completely.

The raven’s struggles suddenly died down as he felt his groin reacting to the sudden touch of a… bulge.

 _Kouyou’s_ … _hardened…_ bulge...


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> here's the next chapter a day later so we don't get yelled at for that cliffhanger HAHA

Being able to spend the day with Yuu as friends again and as though nothing bad had ever happened between them, Kouyou was beyond ecstatic. With that overwhelming joy came the fact that he was even more perplexed as to what he felt—especially when he found himself starting to steal glances at Yuu when they were playing their game, which was probably why he'd lost. That confusion and elation blended together forced him into doing things he didn't understand the motive behind, like when he started to tickle Yuu for the chocolate, or when he pinned him down in a flurry of adrenaline and excitement. The mix of those two things plus raging hormones in a confused teenage boy could only cook up something that was inevitable, and before Kouyou could even register the building heat in his abdomen and pelvis and put an end to it, he'd already sported something he didn't mean to, but couldn't hide—not when the surface of Yuu's thigh had rubbed up against his newfound arousal.

Chocolate and video game forgotten, Kouyou's breath hitched at the pressure against his crotch, at the way he was pinning down Yuu, and he was frozen. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, and his face went up in red as the reality of the situation came crashing down on him.

In the midst of the pair's boyish excitement, Kouyou's nether regions apparently had a mind of their own, forcing him to sport a little bit of a boner against his will.

And Yuu definitely felt it. Kouyou could tell because of the way the raven's eyes widened and his face flushed when Kouyou shifted slightly, and because...

Yuu was currently dealing with his own little 'problem', as well. And as Kouyou shifted again, he could feel Yuu's rubbing up against his, causing him to gasp at even the slightest contact. The president was still pinning the smaller boy down, and he knew he should have gotten off, but he couldn't. He couldn't let go, and he couldn't move away from Yuu, who looked so... so helpless, and so cute, with his pink cheeks and the way his long dark hair splayed out underneath his head. How his bated breaths were in rhythm with Kouyou's. His slightly parted, full lips and his wide eyes, that were currently boring into Kouyou's own. Neither of them could speak, neither could move. Not until—

"Fuck, Shiro! Get away from that!"

The damn dog had found his way to the chocolate the two boys were originally fighting for!

"Don't eat that, you mutt!" Kouyou scolded, quickly scrambling off of Yuu before bolting over to prevent Shiro from lapping up the chocolate he was eyeing with such curiosity. He quickly reached down to snatch it away from below Shiro's muzzle and held it up high in the air... triumphantly.

"I… I guess it's mine after all." And then Kouyou ate the chocolate with a cheeky grin, praying to whatever god watching over him for the sudden change in awkward situation. His back continued to face Yuu as the tent in his pants was still very prominent, and suddenly he was cursing whatever god watching over him for putting him in such a scenario in the first place.  _ Go down, go down, go down! _

"You… cheated," Yuu breathed, still laying down on the floor and unable to even look at Kouyou. His face was still painted in various hues of pinks and reds. "You owe me a make-up round."

"For what? Another piece of chocolate?"

Yuu went quiet for a moment, and when he spoke, his voice was small. "I don't know yet."

Kouyou nodded. "Deal,” he said in a quiet voice as well, uncharacteristic to him, but the problem down south was  _ really  _ starting to run his anxieties and inner turmoils run rampant within his body. 

“Um…” Kouyou heard shuffling behind him, but he didn’t need to look to know that Yuu had gotten up off of the floor and was beginning to gather his things. “I should go.”

“You should.” The senior didn’t bother arguing, his voice low as he answered. He knew Yuu’s decision would be the best option for the both of them, despite how much Kouyou had originally wanted to spend a longer evening with Yuu. It was too soon for the raven to leave him again, and his chest couldn’t help but clench at the thought; on the other hand, his fucking hormones had betrayed him and  _ would continue to _ if Yuu stayed. Why did he have to ruin their reunion like he did? Newfound anger towards himself coursed through his veins, but the soft, distracting words coming from Yuu in the next moment was enough to still his mind, even for a moment, as the senior let out a breath.

"Are... are you going to be at school tomorrow?" Yuu asked after getting ready to leave, shifting uncomfortably.

"Do you want me to be?" Kouyou asked in response, throwing a glance over his shoulder with an eyebrow raised. He tried to hide the amused smirk that was threatening to break out upon his straight face.

"I guess I do."

"Then I'll be there." 

The real question was: how in the  _ hell  _ was Kouyou supposed to face Yuu now, knowing that he had not only popped a very inconvenient boner, but _ took care of it _ right after the raven left?

_ Oh, Kouyou—now you’ve really done it. _

~

Yuu was going mad, his thoughts beginning to tread into much more dangerous territory with each day that passed. The accidental boners he and Kouyou had both sported merely a couple of days ago had sent his emotions further down the spiral of his ever-confusing, torturous feelings... and he was scared. Yuu’s hopes were slowly raising, making him fall even deeper in love with the blond, thinking of him in more disturbing ways than before. The hard-on he had experienced had sent his hormones into a frenzy that he couldn’t control. Every time he met the blond, it became like a punishment for his forbidden desires.

He couldn’t deny his attraction had grown since then and Yuu was panicking, his body reacting to everything that Kouyou was and did.

The blond was kinder than ever: taking care of their lunches, walking him home even when they didn’t have tutoring sessions and Yuu almost felt…  _ pampered  _ by his senior. As if they were more than friends now, sharing a special bond that even the raven couldn’t understand. It frightened him dearly as he had never been treated like this before. He was always the one who cared for others, doing everything for them and not getting anything in return. He tried to convince himself that Kouyou was doing it all because of the guilt he was probably still going through, but the boy’s heart was pounding in a completely different direction. 

He believed there was more to it than that; he believed Kouyou genuinely cared enough to do those things for Yuu, and the raven was  _ melting  _ inside. There was no way for him to get over his senior at this point; not when Kouyou was so different from all of the people the raven had met until now. He knew that he wasn’t allowed to think of Kouyou the way he did, but he couldn’t help it. Especially not now after Kouyou’s behavior had changed so much, confusing Yuu to a point where the raven wasn’t sure where he stood and what they were anymore.

As much as he didn’t want to, he was forced to ignore all of the questions still spinning in his head and, despite how desperate he was for answers, there were other matters that served as distractions and were pressing to be prioritized above all else. 

It was Friday and they had another tutoring session, as the blond’s final test was on Monday and math was giving him hard time (like always).

The president’s pride was hurt once more but there was no sign of hesitation as he asked Yuu for help this time. It meant so much to the raven, and he invited Kouyou over the same day, not realizing his feelings were taking their toll on him. He wasn’t thinking of the consequences anymore. He didn’t care if anyone was to find out how close they had grown to be, but he secretly enjoyed every minute they spent alone. Kouyou was opening up more and more and Yuu treasured that—he treasured the blond and all the things he had grown to be in Yuu’s heart. 

It was getting darker outside, but the boys were completely oblivious to how time was flying by, keeping busy as they buried deep into the books splattered on Yuu’s bed. For Kouyou, this provided to be the perfect distraction from his continuous internal distress he had been suffering lately, as well as any awkwardness he was worried of unintentionally bringing up around Yuu. The raven was laying on his stomach as he skimmed through the exercises Kouyou had just solved. As difficult as it was, Yuu remained concentrated and kept a serious look on his face, but when his eyes fell on a certain formula, his nose scrunched up a little.

“Kou… you made the same mistake six times today.” He looked at the president sitting near his pillows and saw… that the boy wasn’t even paying attention. “Kouyou!”

The blond then snapped out of his daze.

Yuu sighed.

“You seem really distracted today. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, of course.” Kouyou smiled, but Yuu could see just how sad that smile was.

“Kouyou… you’ve seemed kinda off since we started.”

“How do you do this?” The blond suddenly spoke, his smile dissipating as he stared straight into Yuu’s dark orbs, sending a shiver up the raven’s spine. “You know, being so good at everything.”

“I’m- what? Good at everything?” Yuu couldn’t believe his ears, but Kouyou seemed so serious when he spoke that the raven almost felt like  _ melting  _ inside. Why was he saying such a thing all of a sudden? ”I can’t play sports, but you’re perfect at them.” He decided to pick on that instead, but Kouyou was quick to answer him with the most obvious fact at hand.

“I can’t do math.”

“I could never be president, let alone be on student council.”

“I can’t draw anything but stickmen.”

“I can’t play guitar very well.” Yuu wasn’t thinking when he tried to make his next point, and the amused, questioning look on Kouyou’s face made him blush instantly. “Okay,  _ maybe  _ I am pretty good at it, you’re right.” Yuu chuckled, and before he could react, Kouyou sent a big, hard pillow at him, hitting the boy’s head in the most abrupt way possible. The cute act managed to dissipate the tension surrounding them just a bit, and Yuu didn’t hesitate as he sent it back at the blond who caught it before it hit his face, smiling wide as he spoke a second later.

“I think we just reached the bottom, having a pillow fight like some underaged schoolgirls.”

“You said it, not me.” Yuu then pushed the books away rested his body, laying sideways on the soft bed, feeling a pounding ache forming in his head. He stared at Kouyou and smiled softly, feeling too tired to move right now.

“You’re so pretty and so kind, Yuu.”

And there Kouyou was, doing that  _ thing  _ again. But this time, Yuu had to do something, as the questions which spun previously in his mind had returned, making him dizzy as he fought to shut himself up and not spill them all to the blond—yet there was one thing he had to ask.

“Why do you keep saying all that to me?”

“You seemed pretty weird and quiet when I first met you.” Yuu chuckled and snorted at that as they both smiled for a second, before Kouyou returned to his initial state and kept talking. “Now I know you’re the opposite of that, but… I’m the only one who’s gotten to know about this new side of you, aren’t I?”

And then… Yuu realised he had forgotten about that small detail. He never made any close friends except Kouyou, did he? He swore to protect himself and was doing well in that regard, but after falling so deep in love this boy… he just couldn't stay away from him. Yuu brought this upon himself.

“What happened at your old school?”

Yuu’s eyes widened at that, his whole body tensing up despite its resting comfortable position.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“But Yuu…” 

“I promised to make you tea.” Yuu rose up from the bed so quick his head spun a little before he headed to the door. “I’ll be back in a minute."

"Let me help you," Kouyou offered when Yuu was about to leave the room to prepare the tea. He'd already stood up off of the bed, taking steps towards Yuu, and with a sigh, Yuu rolled his eyes, but didn't reject the senior's advances. 

It was amazing how Yuu managed to intrigue Kouyou more and more every day, when he saw him and when he didn't. Yuu always remained a mystery, and Kouyou wanted to debunk him.

So even when the raven denied him, Kouyou made it clear that he wouldn't give up so easily. He wanted Yuu to know that he could trust him with his deepest secrets, he wanted him to know he could be honest and that Kouyou would never judge him for it. Despite the fact the two had only been friends for roughly a month now, Kouyou didn't think he'd ever felt closer to someone than he currently did with Yuu. Of course, he was beyond close with Akira, as they were best friends and had been for many years. But he felt like their closeness was different than what he and Yuu shared. Kouyou's closeness with Akira was built on a foundation of their childhood friendship and their shared love for sports and guy-things, where they rarely discussed deep topics or revealed their emotional sides. Sure, Akira had seen Kouyou in his worst moments, as Kouyou had seen Akira in his. But rarely did they bring light to deeper issues in their lives; more often than not, they were just distractions for each other.

Kouyou appreciated Akira, he really did. But his connection with Yuu was something so, so different, so unfamiliar to him, and it frightened him, whilst brought him comfort at the same time. He felt like he didn't have to be ashamed about bringing up deeper issues or topics around the raven, because Yuu understood, and had connected with Kouyou on an emotional level that the blond had never reached before, with anyone.

The two of them just... clicked. And Kouyou wouldn't have understood what that meant a month ago, but after meeting Yuu, he was able to grasp the concept without even thinking about it.

And yet... Kouyou's mind was somehow  _ always  _ thinking when it came to Yuu. There was always something to ponder, to wonder about when he was in the presence of his friend, and even when he wasn't. 

He wanted to know Yuu. He wanted to know where Yuu came from. He wanted to know his past, and what shaped him into the boy he knew as Yuu today.

And it didn't matter how long it would take Yuu to open up. Kouyou would wait for him.

"Can you hand me the kettle?" Yuu asked once they made it to the kitchen, his voice and posture stiff. Kouyou nodded before reaching into the cupboard and grabbing it before giving it to Yuu, not missing the brief brush of their fingers that set the nerves in his hand ablaze as he passed the kettle off.

Yuu's past must have been a really touchy topic. The raven was silent, he was tense and he didn't look at Kouyou for longer than was necessary after the president brought it up. Truthfully, he felt bad about it, if even just the mention of the topic was enough to make Yuu react the way he did.

"Yuu," Kouyou whispered, coming to stand beside Yuu as the raven filled the kettle with water at the sink, their hips lightly touching, but touching just enough to be felt by the both of them. "You don't have to hide things from me."

"Mhm." Yuu simply replied with a hum as he moved away from Kouyou to place the kettle full of water on the stove, turning on the element and facing it with his back turned to Kouyou.

"Please, Yuu. I want to know you." Kouyou didn't know why he was practically begging for this; Yuu just had that affect on him.

At that, Yuu sighed and let his head lower. "I know, Kouyou."

"What is it going to take for you to open up to me?"

Yuu went silent again. It agonized Kouyou, and all he could do was watch, imitating Yuu's silence as Yuu turned off the element of the stove when the water had finished boiling before moving to grab a mug from one of the cupboards.

"Hi, boys. How are you two doing?"

"Oh, hello, Ms. Shiroyama. We're good, how are you?" Kouyou politely greeted the woman (because he figured Yuu wasn't going to) as she entered the kitchen, a warm smile on her face as usual, thankful for her presence as she broke the disturbing silence. She was such a lovely woman; Yuu was beyond lucky to have her as his mother. Kouyou loved when they tutored at Yuu's house, because he loved getting to talk with Ms. Shiroyama.

"I'm well, thank you," she said as she reached into another cupboard to grab the tea for Kouyou. Kouyou accepted it with a smile and a short bow.

"Um..." the senior murmured as he put a teabag into the mug after Yuu, still having not acknowledged the newfound presence of his mother, had poured some water into it. An idea had hit him suddenly, and the filter between his brain and his mouth apparently dissipated as he spoke it aloud. "I hate to intrude again, but... would it be alright of I spent the night?"

"Oh, Kouyou! Of course you can!" Ms. Shiroyama engulfed him into a big hug, for which Kouyou was thankful for. He wrapped his arms around her, relishing in the motherly love he'd so dearly wished for, for so long.

And then, behind them, Yuu had nearly dropped the kettle as he was pouring water into his own mug. "What?!"

"Yuu! Don't be so rude, Kouyou can stay over whenever he wants to, and you know that," Ms. Shiroyama scolded as she released Kouyou from her grasp. Frankly, Kouyou was hurt by Yuu's reaction, and apparently Yuu's mother noticed because she didn't let up on the scolding. "It's the least we can do for him, Yuu. Besides, Kouyou, Yuu was telling me you have a big test on Monday?" She questioned, and it made Kouyou smile slightly to know that Yuu talked about him with his mother. He nodded.

"I do."

"And Yuu needs to tutor you, doesn't he?"

"He does..."

"Then this is a good idea, because you two can fit in even more tutoring before then to make sure you ace that test. My smart little Yuu wouldn't let you fail, now would he?"

"No, momma," Yuu answered quietly, defeated, as he knew there was no way out of convincing Kouyou not to spend the night—not that he minded, really, but... he was still a little shaken up by Kouyou asking about his past.

"Then it's settled. I'll prepare dinner for you boys in a little while, okay?" She smiled again, warming up Kouyou's entire body. He was so thankful for her compassion.

"Thank you, Ms. Shiroyama."

"Anytime, Kouyou. Now, you boys better get back to studying!" She shook her finger at them jokingly menacingly, and with a laugh from Kouyou and a grunt from a red-faced Yuu, the boys slinked back off to Yuu's room.

~

"Kouyou."

"Kouyou, no, that's not right."

"Kouyou, you do it  _ this  _ way, not like that."

"Kouyou! What are you doing? Are you listening at all?"

"I don't understand it, Yuu!"

"Maybe you would if you actually paid attention to what I was telling you!"

"Maybe I would, if you'd just answer my question from earlier!"

Yuu didn't respond.

"Yuu, I'm sorry..."

"Kou... listen," Yuu sighed, leaning his head on his hand. "I... had a big fight with my best friend from my old school. That's all."

"That's all?" Kouyou scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "You could've told me that from the start. If it's taken you this long to open up about it, there must be more." Kouyou disliked himself for how nosy he was being, but fuck, he just wanted to know. Even just a little bit. Enough to help him connect other clues, enough to help him complete the confusing puzzle that was Yuu, the new student who'd come into Kouyou's life and made him question everything.

"I trusted him, Kouyou. I trusted him, and he betrayed me." Kouyou listened intently, with peaked interest. "I told him something that I thought he would keep a secret, and he didn't." Yuu didn't elaborate. "And that's why I... stay quiet, and didn’t make many friends."

Hearing this made Kouyou's chest tight for a few different reasons. He sensed that whatever secret Yuu told his friend carried a lot of weight, and for it to be exposed... must have really hurt Yuu, so he resorted to closing himself off from other people. In a way, Kouyou felt special to be the one Yuu chose to open up to, even just partially, after he'd gone through something like that.

"Not all people are bad, Yuu," Kouyou whispered, letting his hand rest on Yuu's thigh reassuringly. "Akira really likes you. Yutaka really likes you. I really like you. And we're not going to hurt you."

Yuu tensed at Kouyou's touch, his breath hitching in his throat.

"Why don't you let go? Why won't you let them in, even just a little bit? Why won't you let me in?"

Yuu sniffled slightly and furrowed his brows, totally avoiding Kouyou's eyes. It was then that Kouyou leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, engulfing him in a hug before he could think about what he was doing. "Yuu, start a band with us. It'll be good for you."

Yuu continued to sniffle as Kouyou rocked him back and forth, shushing him softly. He didn't realize just how heavy of a topic this was. But Yuu had to let go of his past, of the betrayal that his best friend brought upon him. Yuu didn't deserve that. He deserved to be happy, to start a positive chapter of his life; he deserved to be surrounded by friends that cared for him, and Kouyou was determined to give him that with the help of Akira and Yutaka.

"Please, Yuu?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as i went to post this, i noticed we reached 100 kudos!! thank you all so much, it really means the world to us, for putting up with kou's stupidity and yuu's frustration lol! love u all ♡♡♡

Kouyou was warm, his shirt soft, his hands secure as they wrapped around Yuu’s body and held him tight. The raven was slowly calming down, relishing in this moment and taking in all of the things Kouyou was granting him right now. The blond’s soothing voice caressed Yuu’s ears and his heartache began to deteriorate. He didn’t know what he did to deserve this boy in his life, but he loved him so much. He couldn’t believe how different he was from his past love in every aspect a person could have. Yuu was so in love and felt so relieved as he finally let his feelings out and confessed his secret, even if it was only partial to the full truth, to the blond. His senior was understanding, and Yuu’s love was blossoming as his sobs died down, dissipating completely soon after.

Yuu wished he could stay in Kouyou’s arms forever, but he also knew he couldn’t let go of his past completely; he had to be careful, and he couldn’t allow his feelings to cloud his mind _too_ much (even if he wanted them to)…

“Thank you,” Yuu responded softly before pulling away, and as his eyes found Kouyou’s, they stared at each other for couple of seconds.

The boy was mesmerized, his senior looking even more heavenly from this close distance, if it was even possible. Yuu’s heart eased its beating and he almost felt like he was falling into a certain trap he had sworn to avoid as his eyes slowly fell on Kouyou’s plush lips, but then…

“Dinner is ready, boys!”

Panic shook Yuu’s entire body, his mother’s voice yanking him out of his oblivion and the boy quickly stood up from the bed, leaving the warm embrace in which Kouyou had granted him. When he finally looked at the woman in the doorway, she was watching them with a gentle smile and Yuu certainly didn’t miss the knowing look on her face.

“Everything is ready and waiting for you in the kitchen.”

“Thank you, Ms. Shiroyama.” Kouyou’s voice sounded distant to Yuu, who was still desperately trying to get a hold of himself and his embarrassment. He didn’t look at Kouyou before quickly walking out of the room, hoping that the dinner would cool him down and he would clear his mind.

As always, he was wrong.

~

Yuu had his hair tied back, making sure it was tucked away as to not get it dirty while he ate. His mother had prepared his favorite pasta with lots of cheese again, and he was on his second portion while Kouyou was still fighting with his first. Yuu was completely oblivious to his surroundings and he ate, stuffing himself with food and trying to focus on anything but Kouyou and his mother’s conversation.

“I can tell you that Yuu’s performance at school is really good. I actually think he could get onto the student council—they have only one student from their class representing them and it’s a lot of work for one student.”

“W’at?” Yuu was confused as he spoke with a full mouth, not being able to register how embarrassing it was.

“Yuu, that is _so_ gross,” his mother gasped while Kouyou laughed as Yuu gulped hard, his face turning a bright shade of red yet again.

“How did you eat all of that, anyway?” The blond asked him, and Yuu looked away.

“I was hungry…”

“I bet you were…” His mother commented and slowly stood up from the table, her plate already empty.

“I’ll take care of the dishes, mom.”

“You can’t leave your guest alone, Yuu.”

“Can I help? ”Kouyous face was bright as he spoke, he looking at Yuu’s mother with pleading eyes. “I don’t know how this is gonna sound, but… I’ve never with things like these before, can I do it now?”

Yuu noticed the way his mom smiled back and he felt strangely uncomfortable.

“Alright, Kouyou, just this time... If it’s gonna make you happy for real, I mean.”

“Of course, Ms. Shiroyama!”

What… the _hell_ was that? How did Kouyou… what was Yuu missing out on again?

As soon as the woman left them, Yuu felt awkward and continued to avoid Kouyou’s eyes, focusing on his plate instead.

“Have you thought about it?” The blond broke their silence and Yuu’s body tensed up.

“What?”

“The band.”

Yuu sighed and a faint smile curved his lips.

“Maybe.” He kept his eyes focused on the food in front of him but as silence filled the room, Yuu couldn’t resist and slowly looked up at the blond second later. Kouyou was _smiling_ at him, and the raven’s breath hitched.

“What?” He asked for the third time tonight and his cheeks flared up even more, Kouyou’s gaze warming up his whole being as his stare continued.

It was so… _mesmerizing_.

Yuu then stood up from his seat and headed for the sink, Kouyou perking up and following him close.

The raven was on the verge of hyperventilating again, but he did his best to not show it to the blond. Instead, he washed everything slowly and felt Kouyou’s warmth next to him as the boy left his plate beside the rest of the dishes in the sink. The way their hips brushed again made Yuu take in a deep breath and concentrate on the glass he was now scrubbing harshly even more.

“Can I try?” Kouyou’s voice was low and Yuu decided to keep his gaze on the glass, because already his self control was beginning to slip through his fingers.

“No, Kouyou. Please, just let me do this and wait for me to finish it, _please_.”

“Okay, okay. Fine.” He chuckled at the raven’s sudden nervous outburst and retreated somewhere behind him.

Yuu felt calm, but only for a moment—because suddenly he felt a strangle tickle at his hair.

Kouyou just couldn't resist the gorgeous raven hair in front of him just begging to be touched, and so, without further consultation from his conscience, the dirty blond was reaching a hand forward to delicately pull the dark strands of Yuu's hair loose from the confines of the tie. The way they drifted so elegantly down Yuu's shoulders and back was enough to make Kouyou's breath quicken, and before he knew it he was allowing his fingers to play with the hair, too.

“Can I style it again sometime?”

Yuu’s fingers trembled slightly, feeling exceptionally hot as he spoke.

“Of course."

And Kouyou was delighted to hear Yuu grant him access to styling his hair; he loved it so much, and he wasn't sure why.

"Sorry... I just... I think your hair is really beautiful." _Kouyou, you're so fucking embarrassing. Think before you speak._

"Kou, shut up," Kouyou heard Yuu respond with a stammer in his voice, the force in which he was scrubbing the dishes with increasing madly.

And then Kouyou retracted his hand; he didn't want to get caught in another uncomfortable situation by Ms. Shiroyama...

"Um, so, the band. You're considering it?" Kouyou offered in an attempt to change the subject, only to have Yuu shrug in response. Okay, plan B. "Come on, let me help with something. I feel useless."

Yuu let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, fine. If it'll stop you from being so annoying, you can dry the dishes after I wash them. Good enough?"

"Okay!" Kouyou piped with childish enthusiasm.

How weird; who in the hell got so excited over doing dishes?!

"Hey, now," Kouyou started to defend himself, because apparently Yuu had voiced his thoughts aloud. "I've... never gotten to do these types of domestic chores. So having this chance... means a lot to me. It makes me happy, being able to pretend I'm living a normal life for once..."

"Kouyou..."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it," Kouyou waved off, his body tensing up at the frustration he felt towards himself. Why did he always allow himself to be an open book to Yuu, even when Yuu hasn't expressed interest in reading him in the first place? Fuck, he always just found it to be so easy to let himself go around Yuu, to ramble on and on, and it wasn't fair to Yuu to have to listen to him. Kouyou hated how weak he was, for letting his guard down without a second thought, for showcasing the soft, lonely boy that was inside of Mr. Confident and Cool Student President Takashima Kouyou. He put each and every one of his insecurities out on display for Yuu to see, and he hated it.

Yuu handed him a dish to dry. "Kou... I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Kouyou sent him a weak smile as he accepted the dish, reaching for the towel and starting to wipe it dry. "This is fun, isn't it? It's cute and domestic," Kouyou said as he tried to uplift the awkward, tense situation he took full credit in creating, before bumping hips with Yuu, followed by a laugh when Yuu stumbled.

"Hey!" Yuu barked, trying to hide the smile that was forming at his lips before sending his hips bumping against Kouyou's with force.

"Ow! You're bony!"

"Says you!"

"Boys, how are those dishes coming along?"

...Foiled again.

"Um, they're fine, mom!" Yuu stumbled over his words at the sound of his mother's cheeky voice, followed by her chuckle. As soon as she'd come, she'd gone, leaving the two boys alone once again.

"You know, you're not that bony. You're actually kind of soft."

_"Kouyou!!"_

~

The boys retreated back to the bedroom after a few more antics during the dish-cleaning, and they were currently packing up all of the studying supplies so they could prepare Yuu's bed for sleep and not school. Unfortunately, Kouyou had to opt for Doraemon pajamas once again as this sleepover was unplanned, and Yuu laughed at him. They spent a few more hours playing video games (Yuu introducing Kouyou to some that weren't Mario Kart, although in the end they always reverted back to that game), laughing and having fun as boys did, before it was time for them to go to sleep.

Oh.

Kouyou forgot about that part.

After the unspeakable incidents of the party and afterwards, did Yuu even want Kouyou near his bed when Yuu was in it?

The two of them stared at the piece of furniture, unspeaking, after they'd finished brushing their teeth and had re-entered Yuu's room. Clearly, Yuu was thinking the same thoughts, keeping silent.

And then he broke the tense silence, for which Kouyou was thankful for. "Just get in," he muttered after climbing in himself, scooching far over to the wall once more. Kouyou shut off the lights before climbing in himself, staying far to the edge, but not so far as to risk falling off like he had during their first sleepover.

Yuu was curled up under the covers on his side of the bed, his breathing shallow as he tried to tame the wild thoughts racing inside of his head. He wasn’t ready to share a bed with his senior so soon after their shared incident, and the fact that it was so recent made him feel worse yet _warmer_ as the seconds passed. The boiling tension in the air made Yuu shift lightly as he felt feverish, the blond moving ever so lightly but sending movements through the soft mattress straight to Yuu’s already trembling form. The silence felt awkward and out of place, as if both of them had thoughts to spill but none of them had the courage to speak up about them. Despite all of it, Yuu finally closed his eyes and tried to fall into a slumber when Kouyou’s soft voice startled him as it came from behind.

“Yuu, are you cold?”

Yuu’s breath hitched and he stirred, his hands gripping tightly at the covers in front of his chest.

“M-maybe. I don’t know.” His voice was just as soft as Kouyou’s and he felt another movement shake the mattress lightly as the raven realized the blond was probably facing him now, staring at his back.

He gulped hard and remained still as he simply waited for his senior to speak up again.

“I’m… always cold.” The simple statement was enough to worsen Yuu’s feverish state. “That’s why Shiro always keeps me company and warms me when I’m lonely at home. Only then could I sleep.”

Yuu couldn’t help it, shivers running down his spine as he realized Kouyou’s words were affecting him in the worst way possible again. The boy hesitated for a moment and he sighed before speaking up, ignoring the way his lungs clenched with fear.

“If you want we… can try to warm you up.” Yuu cursed at himself as soon as the words left his mouth, and the silence that followed after felt almost dreadful.

He was beginning to panic when the blond answered him with an even softer voice than before.

“Okay… let’s try it.”

Yuu blinked a couple of times, not believing his ears. He was feeling the intimidating shivers of his growing distress as his mind wondered what stood behind Kouyou’s sudden uncharacteristic behavior, but the blond quickly interrupted his train of thought with an even weirder request.

“Yuu, come closer, please?”

“What?”

“Shiro usually sleeps much closer to me. On my chest,” Kouyou admitted, staring up at the ceiling in the dark. He bit his lip nervously as the embarrassing words had left his mouth before his brain even had a chance to process them. It was true that the senior often needed his shiba in his arms in order for him to sleep, but to ask Yuu of such a thing had been an idea that Kouyou couldn’t stop himself from thinking aloud, despite how weird it sounded to them both—but the fact that he’d even aroused that thought within his mind was enough to force the senior into yet another ending pit of confusion and turmoil, especially after everything that had happened between them thus far. Kouyou still hadn’t let go of the awkwardness that clung to him after their incident, despite how “cool” he often played himself out to be.

The rustling of sheets and the dipping of the mattress beside him told Kouyou that Yuu was moving closer, and the reality of the situation came crashing down upon the blond as his breath hitched and a shock ran through his arm when Yuu brushed against it.

“Is this alright?” The raven asked after letting his body rest right beside his senior. He could feel the warmth emitting from him already and hoped Kouyou could feel his, the thought alone setting his skin on fire as he listened to the noticeable erratic breaths of the blond.

Was Kouyou just as nervous as he was right now?

“I’m sorry.” Kouyou’s voice was faint this time, and Yuu almost didn’t hear his pained apology. The younger was growing worried as another realization dawned upon him, his breaths quickening and matching his senior’s. Kouyou was troubled, and he struggled with every word that left his mouth. It was obvious the blond knew exactly what he wanted and, to Yuu’s surprise, the president’s confidence seemed to have completely vanished by that point, as he had refused to be straightforward with Yuu or voice his thoughts out. Hence the raven bit his lip and shifted again while pondering upon whether he should act or remain still in his spot. Yet he couldn’t ignore his curiosity as it grew, his eyes fixated on the black outlines of the troubled senior next to him.

What if he actually leaned in and let his head rest on Kouyou’s chest? What if that simple act could give the younger his much needed answers?

Yuu didn’t wait anymore and he stirred again, moving closer, his heart drumming in his ears as his hand found its way to rest upon Kouyou’s chest. The raven could swear he saw sparks forming in the dark where he made contact with the soft fabric and the boy swallowed hard, resting his head comfortably, yet nervously, onto the blond’s chest.

Kouyou’s breathing hitched as well as Yuu’s, and the raven listened carefully to the rhythm of the senior’s heart. It was steady, faster than usual, but calming in such a way that the shorter boy felt an odd relief wash through his entire body.

Although Yuu was much less fluffy than Shiro, the feeling his body on top of Kouyou’s had the blond both in a state of relaxation as well as the utmost confusion and distress, but he allowed his mind to focus on the sensation of Yuu’s heartbeat against his chest, the blond’s taking up a similar, quick pattern, the two organs syncing with one another before simultaneously slowing down.

“Don’t tell Shiro about this. He’ll hate you even more,” Kouyou chuckled softly as an attempt to distract himself from all turmoil setting his mind into a fluster, because god, Yuu’s body fit _so damn perfectly_ against the senior’s. In fact, it could probably rival Shiro’s; the feeling of another human body against his own had been something that Kouyou craved for much too long, and caught up in that thought, he lifted his arms to wrap them around Yuu’s waist, catching the raven by surprise and earning a small, surprised sound from him.

“I won’t tell him,” Yuu promised, adjusting to the arms that had somehow found their way around his middle. “Are you warmer now?”

“Kind of. Don’t get off yet, please,” Kouyou begged, already afraid that the raven might leave him already. Now that the blond had felt Yuu’s body in his arms, in such an intimate manor… he began to wonder how he’d go on without it. Yuu felt so _perfect_.

“I won’t. Go to sleep, Kou,” Yuu hushed, and it was enough for Kouyou to close his eyes and focus on the warmth radiating from Yuu’s body, the quick breaths escaping both of their mouths, their heartbeats slowing…

“Goodnight, Yuu. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Sleep well, Kouyou.”

In that moment, nothing but Yuu’s body against Kouyou’s own mattered in the world.

~

Yuu was surprised to see that neither he nor Kouyou had moved from their position when he woke up the next day. In fact, he was snuggled in even closer, feeling rested and calm as he relished in the moment, refusing to ruin it by moving away. Instead, he enjoyed the comfort of the embrace for a few hours more. He listened to the blond’s heavy breaths as they escaped him, and was utterly disappointed when Kouyou eventually awoke from his sleep and they pulled away from one another, awkwardly preparing for their new day filled with heavy tutoring.  
The awkwardness didn’t dissipate even after they drowned in their books, although Yuu was delighted to see that Kouyou was trying his best to pay attention and quickly made progress with his studies, making up for the time they wasted the previous day. Yuu was sad to see the blond leave as soon as night approached them, but felt content nonetheless. He didn’t allow his insecurities to surface this time and ignored all of the warnings his mind sent his way as he laid comfortably in his bed later that night, remembering the intimacy of the moment the boys had shared. Despite how weird and awkward he still felt, Yuu breathed in the lingering scent of Kouyou’s, and imagined that masculine body pressed against himself once more, before drifting into another deep sleep filled with comfort he never felt before.

~

"Hi guys!"

"Hey, Chibi." Akira greeted Yutaka with a smirk as the shorter boy came up to him, Kouyou and Yuu at the lunch table. Yutaka had a big grin on his face, but Kouyou didn't see it as he was currently nose-deep in his notes as he studied for his test. Yutaka sat down beside Yuu and didn't let his big grin falter.

"Kouyou, you play guitar, right?"

"Mhm."

"And Yuu, you also play guitar, right?"

"...Yes."

"And I play bass," Akira chipped in boastfully with his arms crossed.

"And I play drums!" Yutaka exclaimed, spooking Kouyou who was deeply engrossed in his notes, while Yuu flinched at the sound of Yutaka's loud voice right next to his ear. "My cousin is going to be coming down for spring break, and he's got a really unique voice. What if we all meet up to jam sometime? Huh, huh? Maybe even form a band!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Yuu, why are you so against the idea?" Akira inquired, his eyebrow raised curiously. "Don't mind him, Yutaka. I'm in, and I'm sure Kouyou's in too. Right, Kou?"

"Definitely," Kouyou confirmed, Yutaka's outburst having distracted him from his studying momentarily. "Yuu's the only one not wanting to do it, and I don't know why. Akira and I have mentioned it before, but Yuu won't give."

"Yuuuuuu! Please? It'd be so much fun!" Yutaka begged, throwing an arm over Yuu and hugging him tightly.

"Get off me, Yutaka..."

"Yuu, come on." Kouyou followed suit to Yutaka and was begging as well, looking him in the eyes as he did so. "Join us. What do you have to lose?"

Kouyou’s pleading eyes were the most intoxicating things Yuu had ever seen. It was unbelievable, but the raven was beginning to lose his stubbornness, his mind going over the idea a couple of times—but a bit of hesitation kept him from giving in entirely.

“You can just give it a try,” Kouyou spoke again. “You can come to one practice with us, and if you really don’t want to do it, we’ll understand. We can still be friends, but without the band thing.”

Gosh, Kouyou was always so charming and convincing… never failing to force Yuu into submitting to anything he says.

“Okay, I can… try?” He stuttered and avoided everyone’s gazes as he spoke. “I can try... to go to one practice.”

“Exactly!” Kouyou sounded so happy that Yuu was left with no other choice but to accept his fate a second later.

“Alright, I’ll do it.”

The boys got so noisy after Yuu had agreed that the students nearby began to throw suspicious looks at them. Yuu wanted to hide and never show his face again, his embarrassment growing with incredible speed. He never thought someone would want his company like this, nor expected to meet such people so soon after his transfer to this new school. He knew Kouyou was right and he had to give them a chance, but the dreadful feeling in his heart was still lingering and his wounds were still healing. The fear of being hurt again was there, and Yuu knew it wouldn’t be going anywhere yet.

But Yuu wasn’t that weak, and he knew that as long as Kouyou was by his side, he could do anything.

Right?

~

It was the first day of spring break and Yuu was fussing over his hair again as he tried to prepare for the meeting he had with the boys an hour later. He was supposed to go to Yutaka’s neighbourhood, Kouyou picking him up any minute now. But Yuu wasn’t ready to go out yet, on the verge of freaked out as he tried to put his hair in order for the fifth time. It was so messy, unruly and wild that the raven was frustrated to continue trying, finally giving up on it as he heard the doorbell echo throughout his house. He left his hair as it was, falling freely down and around his shoulders this time, not tying it like he usually did. He was dressed in black again and his mother chuckled softly as she watched him tying his shoes a second later.

“You’re not going to a funeral, you know.”

“Mom, please.” He blushed and straightened up once he was done. “How do I look?”

“Kouyou will definitely approve.”

“Mom, I didn’t ask you that!”

She always loved to tease him and play with his feelings, and she had grown to be pretty good at it ever since she walked on him and Kouyou hugging in his room a week ago. He couldn’t blame her, though… those sweet moments were still hunting him as well, torturing him and practically suffocating him from time to time as he still pondered what stood behind their unknown nature. It was confusing him to a point where he was beginning to overthink every little thing his senior said or did, and his heart was even more adamant on the idea that maybe Kouyou was changing… maybe.

The past week had proven to be pretty busy for all of them as they all had exams almost every day, providing Yuu with less time to spend with Kouyou and observe him, but he hoped that spring break would make up for it all. He was secretly waiting for their first meet up with excitement.

Yuu’s mom didn’t miss the chance and kissed his cheek, causing the boy to blush even harder before exiting the house. Kouyou and Akira were waiting for him already, and he hoped that they wouldn’t notice his flustered face, or at least not make mention of it—

“Yuu… you look like you’ve just been kissed by a girl.”

_Dear lord have mercy._

_“Akira.”_ Kouyou’s voice was low and scolding, Yuu laughing softly.

He missed this and, even though he wasn’t sure why Akira had been so cocky lately, he didn’t mind it. He was still kind and amusing, and Yuu found that he was enjoying his company more and more with each day they spent together. Kouyou really had amazing friends and Yuu was lucky to have him; was lucky to be surrounded by all of this positivity, a thing he often lacked in his life.

The two boys laughed and joked while Yuu listened to them and simply watched them, taking note of how happy and joyous they were with each other. It was something so pure that the raven cherished about them.

Once they reached the bus stop, the bus itself came almost immediately and they didn’t have to wait long before getting on it. It was so crowded that Yuu felt suffocated as they tried to make their way between the people inside. Kouyou was able to support himself and remained steady on his feet as he didn’t bump into or disturb anyone surrounding him, and that alone impressed Yuu greatly. The younger boy wondered if the president had even been on a bus before, as he knew the blond had probably been pampered quite a lot throughout his life. And yet he was always trying to act normal ever since they met, and Yuu appreciated that.

“How long until we get there?” Kouyou asked, and Yuu felt the boy’s breath on his skin, making him flinch before realising how close they actually were.

“Two more stops, I think,” he raven answered before falling into another awkward silence as he tried to focus on anything but how close his senior was to him right now. At least there was still a moderately decent distance between them, and Yuu was able to tolerate it while keeping his emotions in check, but that changed soon after the next stop came and more people climbed inside of the bus. The space around them was almost completely dissipated, and Yuu saw Akira bumping into Kouyou before his senior finally clashed his body into his. Yuu instantly panicked and took a step back, trying to avoid the touch, but the person he bumped into growled in frustration and said something rude that the raven’s mind wasn’t able to process right now.

His mind was blank and he couldn’t think. He lost balance a second later and was about to bump into the person again, when he felt a hand circling around his waist.

Kouyou, again acting before thinking, pulled him closer then and Yuu was able to grab at his senior, feeling secured in his grasp, their bodies pressed against one another in a perfect fit. Yuu’s breathing was heavy as he shied his eyes away, trying to avoid Kouyou’s gaze even more desperately than before.

He felt heat rising up inside of him and the blond’s fingers suddenly moved, almost tickling Yuu as they did so.

“Got you,” Kouyou whispered in Yuu’s ear, and the raven instantly felt feverish. He was beginning to sweat, terrified of their position as he wondered how in the _hell_ he would survive the rest of the bus ride if it kept up like this. He didn’t think about how strange their situation was, his mind remaining occupied by thoughts of Kouyou’s presence alone. His warmth and the way his front brushed at Yuu’s made the boy scream internally as he felt a familiar pressure forming in the lower regions of his abdomen.

He took a deep breath, and his chest tight. Honestly, Yuu was ready to close his eyes and die right then and there—especially after he was able to steal a glance at a smirking Akira, little before the bus stopped and the crowd around them moved and pushed them as the people tried to get out.

Kouyou released Yuu’s waist from his grip and pulled away as they tried to follow the crowd. Once Yuu was finally out on the street, he took deep breaths, still thinking of the way his body reacted to the blond’s touch and warmth on the bus.

What the hell just happened? What had possessed Kouyou to hold him like that?

“Are you okay?” The blond asked, but Yuu didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he took yet another a deep breath, trying to focus on their surroundings instead of the flurry of panic coursing within him.

“It was really crowded, I’m sorry… I haven’t been on a bus in a while.”

“Don’t worry about it. That guy behind you looked pretty pissed, so I had to do something,” Kouyou said, waving off the situation like it had been nothing—but it _wasn’t_ nothing, of course it wasn’t. Even for Kouyou, the feeling of having Yuu in his arms like he did set his skin unexplainably ablaze—especially after the night they’d spent snuggled up in Yuu’s bed...

Akira’s gaze was stern and locked on Yuu for the rest of their walk, despite that the blond kept talking with Kouyou.

But Yuu was contained in his own world, his head spinning as he recalled what had just happened between him and his senior.

It was so weird, and so… _not straight!_ Yuu wondered what Kouyou was thinking. It was true that they had grown quite close, Yuu’s walls almost completely gone at this point, but… this was ringing so many alarms in his head, and he was frightened. The memories of his past were back to torture him and he couldn’t stop thinking of the consequences, considering his guard was almost down entirely.

What if this meeting was a mistake? What if he really shouldn’t have agreed to the idea of forming a band? What if he was right for being hesitant?

And as they walked inside of the small, dim bar, Yuu’s eyes fell on Yutaka’s dimpled face at the back and quickly moved to a smiling blond boy sitting next to him—only to have his heart shattered into millions of pieces again.

_No, no, no, no..._

His heart stopped in its tracks, and Yuu didn’t dare to take another step. The gorgeous boy looked at him a second later, and to Yuu’s surprise his smile didn’t falter, but grew bigger instead; it made him tremble with fear as he felt the chills of panic course under his skin, through his veins and making him feel trapped under the weight of his terror.

Yuu’s heart was breaking.

_No._

Kouyou was talking to him again, but his words never reached the raven’s ears as he simply stared at the boy who slowly stood up and walked closer to them, followed by a surprised Yutaka.

It couldn’t be.

Yuu felt like his life was about to end all over again after realising the person who had destroyed him once before was now standing in front of him, after he believed for so long that that boy was out of his life for good.

Yuu couldn’t move, nor speak.

This couldn’t be happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun dunnn


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two chapters in one day! enjoy!!

"Yuu, do you want anything to drink? I can probably manage to get you some alcohol. Or maybe something to eat?" Kouyou offered to Yuu after he, Akira and Yuu stepped into the bar, Akira giving him a thumbs up at his suggestion. But Kouyou's words fell on deaf ears as he found Yuu staring off into oblivion and ignoring what he was saying.

No, not oblivion. At the new boy that was sitting beside Yutaka in the booth; at the new boy that was currently walking towards Yuu with a sway in his hips, his shoulder-length dirty blond hair, similar to Kouyou's in colour, swishing with every step. The boy was dressed... quite eccentric, compared to the rest of them. His hair was styled with precision and his eyes were lined with some dark makeup, making him fit perfectly into the dim scene of the bar. His clothes appeared to be not quite designer, but still high-end, although some of his articles looked DIY. He was considerably short but walked with such an aura of confidence, his small stature could be completely overlooked. He seemed... odd, and Kouyou glanced at Akira with a raised eyebrow, who returned the glance with a look of the same confusion, before back down at Yuu, who seemed frozen in some sort of shock as the intimidating newcomer took steps towards him.

"Wait a minute," the boy grinned, although it was more of a smirk. Kouyou noticed the change in Yuu's stature when the new boy spoke in a low voice: Yuu's breath quickened and he tensed up so tightly he stumbled back. Kouyou reached an arm out to support him.

What was going on?

"Oh, guys!" Yutaka was quick to prance up to the new boy's side. "This is Takanori, my cousin! Taka, the blond guy with the noseband is Akira, the one next to him is Kouyou, and the shorter one with black hair is—"

"Yuu, is it not?" The boy now known as Takanori inquired with a sly smile. "I know Yuu. We used to be... acquaintances."

 _Acquaintances?!_ Kouyou's eyes widened at the reveal, and he looked down at Yuu.

"You know him?" The president tried not to let his surprise be known, but this... Takanori was so unlike Yuu, Kouyou wouldn't expect the little raven to mingle with him a million years if it weren't for these band activities.

"We used to have some classes together, when Yuu was still at his old school," Takanori replied for Yuu when the raven didn't reply, flashing Kouyou with a grin that made Kouyou's stomach churn. Something about Takanori sent some alarm bells ringing in Kouyou's head, what with the way Yuu was still tense and completely silent at the reunion with this new boy. "The details aren't important. We've come here to discuss the possibility of forming a band, haven't we?" Takanori waved off Yuu's odd behaviour and the overall tense situation. The short blond then turned on his heels and walked back to the booth (albeit with that weird, flamboyant swaying of his hips) and Yutaka shot Yuu, Kouyou and Akira a look that was both apologetic and confused, before turning to follow his cousin.

 _"That_ guy is supposed to be our vocalist?" Akira angrily whispered to Kouyou when Takanori had found his place back in the booth. "He seems like such a diva. I bet he's a fag, too."

"Akira, don't say that. It's rude," Kouyou shot him an angry glare at the use of the slur; why, he wasn't quite sure. He'd never told Akira off for saying it before...

But Akira definitely had a point when it came to calling Takanori a diva. He seemed super high-maintenance, and Kouyou had no idea how the rest of them were going to get along with such a prima donna, who seemed like he'd be the one to take total control over their music... but Kouyou couldn't judge just yet. He'd only just met Takanori; he didn't know him, or his personality. Only time would tell.

Akira merely shrugged. "Just stating the facts."

Kouyou shook his head and wrapped his arm around Yuu's shoulders after Akira had walked over to the booth and sat down. The president leaned down to whisper quietly to Yuu, and rubbed his arm reassuringly.

"Yuu, is everything alright? You're acting off, did something happen with—"

"I'm fine." Kouyou was taken aback by Yuu's snappy tone and quickly released the small raven, letting him walk to the booth and sit beside Akira. Kouyou followed, sitting beside Yuu, which meant Yuu was sandwiched between Akira and Kouyou... a little bit too closely for Kouyou's liking, as Kouyou could very clearly feel the side of Yuu's body against his own, could feel his warmth...

"Sorry that we had to do this here and not at my house," Yutaka apologized, mostly to Yuu as he knew Yuu wasn't frequently in bars (if he'd even been to one before). "My parents and Takanori's wanted the house to themselves. They haven't seen each other in a while, and they didn't want a bunch of teenage boys running rampant, heh."

"Don't worry about it," Kouyou waved off, answering for Yuu whose shoulders were slouched and he was looking at his hands in his lap. Kouyou cleared his throat and nudged Yuu's shoulder.

"Y-yeah, it's fine." Kouyou made a mental note to confront Yuu about his behaviour later, because what the fuck?

"This place has a grill, so feel free to order some food," Yutaka informed the rest of them in an attempt to fill the awkward silence, for which Kouyou was thankful.

Soon, a waitress came by to take their orders, shooting flirtatious looks at both Kouyou and Akira as she did so. Kouyou ignored her while Akira basked in the attention from a pretty lady, and ended up getting a few hundred yen off his alcoholic beverage. Kouyou also ordered something alcoholic for himself, as well as some food. He urged Yuu to order something, which the stubborn raven denied, although Kouyou ended up ordering food for him anyway. On the other side of Yuu, Kouyou could overhear Akira sniggering to himself, and he sent him a glare.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Apparently, Kouyou failed to miss how the waitress had a look that said both 'oooooh...' in realization, as well as shock on her face before it fell slightly, when Kouyou ignored her flirtatious advances, only to order food for Yuu seconds later.

Oh, Kouyou—how oblivious could you be?

As Yutaka and Takanori were underage, they could only order sodas or water for themselves, and ordered food as well. The waitress left soon after.

"Let's start talking band matters," Takanori voiced up after some casual conversation, placing his hands on the table and clasping them together. At the sound of Takanori's voice, Kouyou felt Yuu instantly tense up again. Kouyou blocked out the discussion of the other three boys at the table as he instead focused on Yuu, letting his hand wrap around Yuu's wrist softly before he leaned his head close to Yuu's ear.

"Yuu, seriously... what's the matter with you? I'm concerned."

"Kouyou, I already told you, I'm fine—"

"Excuse me, you two," Takanori interrupted with a snap of his fingers, and Kouyou sent him a glare. Okay, he knew they were supposed to be talking business, and he couldn't fault Takanori for wanting to keep their focus on that at the moment. But Yuu's emotional state was important to Kouyou. He didn't want to see Yuu upset. Maybe this band thing was a bad idea, after all...? "Fanservice only happens we actually start to perform. You're a bit early for it."

_Fanservice?!_

"I... uh, okay... shut up, Akira!" Kouyou barked at his best friend who was practically in hysterics at Takanori's taunting words.

Thank god their food and drinks arrived just seconds later.

~

Yuu remained silent for most of the discussion, only answering direct questions, and Kouyou could practically feel Yuu's discomfort. He tried to offer Yuu a sip of his alcoholic drink as a way to help him calm down, but the raven kept refusing, and barely touched his food while the rest of them munched happily. That really frightened Kouyou—Yuu was often able to eat at least a third of his entire body weight in food, and to watch him merely pick at it was alarming.

"You should've heard these two playing together last week," Kouyou heard Akira say at one point, and Kouyou was quick to shush his friend and shrug off the compliments. "Seriously, I don't know what it is, but as soon as they started playing, they fell into the perfect rhythm and melody with each other—

"Akira, stop talking."

"What? It's something that'll be really beneficial to the band," Akira countered.

"Quite beneficial indeed," Takanori observed with a pleased smirk. "How many times have you two played before?"

"Just... just the once," Kouyou answered. Of course he was proud of how he and Yuu had played together, but the way Akira said it was so... _embarrassing._

"I see," Takanori hummed, tapping at his lip with a manicured nail. "If you two are as good as Akira says you are, I'm excited to hear what you come up with for us as a band."

"Oh, thank you," Kouyou smiled at the unexpected praise.

"Oh, guys!" Yutaka suddenly outburst, grinning at the phone that was in his hand. "Mom says we can come practice in the garage now, if we want. My parents and Taka's are going out."

"No, I need to get home soon," Yuu cut in, finally, after being so agonizingly silent for so long, although what came out of his mouth were words that Kouyou didn't want to hear. "You know what, maybe this isn't a good idea after all—"

"Yuu, no." Kouyou was quick to cut him off. "You promised us at least one practice, and you're not backing out now," he said, his tone stern. Although he considered the idea of forming a band a bad idea earlier, Kouyou just couldn't deny how much he truly wanted to be in a band with Yuu. "Yuu, please? Don't make me have to beg again."

"Yuu, _pleeeeeease?"_ Apparently, Kouyou didn't have to beg, because Yutaka was doing it for him. "Would it be better if we practiced tomorrow? I guess it was pretty short-notice to suggest doing it tonight."

"Come on, Yuu." Even Akira was in on it.

Meanwhile, Takanori stayed silent.

"Fine. Fine, we'll have a practice tomorrow," Yuu grouched, defeated. Kouyou grinned as if he'd won a hundred bucks.

"Okay, tomorrow afternoon it is."

"I'll text you guys with more details around then," Yutaka grinned, finishing up the last of his food, as did the rest of the boys. It wasn't long before they were done and it was time for them all to head home.

~

Thankfully, the bus ride back wasn't nearly as crowded as it was on the way there, so Kouyou didn't have to hold Yuu steady and suffer many weird glances from Akira.

The three boys stepped out of the bus when it was at their stop, Kouyou and Akira waking Yuu to his house.

"See you tomorrow, Yuu." Akira bid him goodbye before turning around and walking towards the edge of Yuu's lawn to wait for Kouyou.

"Goodnight, Yuu," Kouyou smiled softly, noticing that Yuu was no longer as tense as he had been in the bar. He was still curious as to what caused the raven to react that way, but now didn't seem like the appropriate time to talk about it. "Wanna come to my house tomorrow before practice? I'll let you bring that black ESP you like."

"Yes, please!" Yuu grinned, and Kouyou felt warm. "Goodnight, Kouyou." And then he slipped inside. Kouyou watched him go with a sad smile before meeting back up with Akira, walking with him in the direction of Kouyou's house.

"That Takanori character is really something," Akira said to disturb the silence.

"Yeah. The fact that he knew Yuu from before... fucks me up," Kouyou confessed. He had to get it off his chest, and Akira seemed like the best person to tell it to. When Akira nodded and urged him to go on, Kouyou did. "I just... I don't know. Takanori seems like someone who Yuu would never talk to, but I feel like... they were more than acquaintances. Do you think they were friends, or something?" Kouyou's mind was spinning as his jumbled thoughts came out in word vomit.

"Yeah, I got that vibe too. Doesn't explain why Yuu acted so weirdly, though, if they were just friends."

"Maybe they had a bad fight?"

"Kouyou, why don't you ask Yuu? This seems to be really bothering you," Akira suggested, not liking how his best friend was so anxious.

"Yeah, maybe I'll try again tomorrow, when Yuu comes over before practice." The seniors soon reached Kouyou's house, and Akira was waving Kouyou goodbye as the president entered the front doors of his, unsurprisingly, empty home.

Once again, Kouyou didn't sleep very well.

~

As soon as Yuu made his way inside of the house, he rested his back against the door and let out the breath he was holding in. The chaos in his head was unbearable and he kept seeing Takanori’s face every time he closed his eyes. The person who had destroyed him was back in his life and he was frightened, still refusing to believe what had happened tonight. His mind had been blank for the most part of the meeting and he felt sick, realising he’d managed to spend hours in that person’s presence.

He was hurt, and… _humiliated,_ the shame of his past overwhelming him as he remembered every mistake he made all those years ago. He had been weak back then, and so _stupid._

But Takanori seemed different now, and that frightened Yuu the most. That boy always had been a diva, but now… his appearance was way different than what Yuu remembered, and the raven couldn’t understand what had happened to him. He remembered how much he loved Takanori, and how enchanted he was by the security the blond’s attitude gave him—but the memory of the betrayal was the most vivid one in his mind, and it rolled like a tape in front of Yuu’s eyes repeatedly.

But Yuu didn’t love him anymore. That feeling had died the moment he realised he loved an illusion.

Yuu’s heart belonged to someone else now, and that thought alone led the raven to another dilemma.

The band.

Takanori was back in his life, and he was around the most important people that the raven grew to love since…

“Yuu?” His mother had appeared in the hallway and was staring at him with a concerned look on her face.

His eyes were watery, now, but he quickly blinked away the tears as fury rose up inside of him. He would never allow this person to ruin him again, and shedding a tear over him was absolutely forbidden.

“Is everything alright, dear?”

“Yes…” He couldn’t tell her, right? Her life was back to normal now, as they were slowly getting used to this new place full of new people. His mother was just as sensitive as him and he remembered the turmoil she went through because of him. He couldn’t do this to her again—he had to deal with this alone.

“Mom, I’ll be painting. I need to clear my head.” Yuu walked inside, aiming for his room as he walked past his mom. “Please don’t come into my room tonight.”

And with that, he locked himself away and finally spilled his feelings onto canvas, letting them out as anything that would ease his mind.

He didn’t know why Takanori had kept such a facade in front of everyone, not revealing anything about their past to the others boys, but he decided to trust that if Takanori didn’t say anything already, he didn’t have the intention to do it in future either.

And as Yuu’s mind went over every detail of their evening, he couldn’t help but allow his feelings for Kouyou to engulf him when he was finally back under the covers of his bed. The blond’s touches were still on his skin, his body feeling hot while his imagination ran wild that night. He allowed himself to fantasize and drown deep into all of the images his mind was capable of producing, moaning softly into his pillow as he finally released the sexual desire built up inside of him after so long.

~

Yuu was back to Kouyou’s house the next day, patiently waiting for his senior, sitting on his enormous bed whilst having a staring contest with the cute shiba the blond possessed.

The dog seemed quieter now for some reason, and Yuu felt happy, seeing that he was making progress with the dog. He really liked Shiro, and hoped that the animal would be able to set aside their differences and finally accept Yuu before long. The way they stared at each other now wasn’t very promising, but at least Shiro wasn’t growling at him anymore.

“Okay, done.” Kouyou emerged from the bathroom, wearing clothes that perfectly fit around his toned body—which Yuu stared at for a while. “Why aren’t you ready?”

“I… I can’t go into that room without you.” Yuu blushed, not realising he was doing it anymore. It had become such a natural reaction for him.

“Oh, Yuu…” Kouyou sighed, and they moved to the room where all of the president’s guitars were. Yuu quickly snatched the black ESP that the blond had promised him the previous day, preparing the guitar for their ride to Yutaka’s place by gathering all of the necessary cables and pedals for it. He had pushed Takanori to the back of his mind and absolutely refused to spare the boy a thought, but Kouyou’s gaze was giving him chills, and the raven knew something was troubling him… and Yuu knew he wouldn’t like Kouyou’s next words even one bit.

“We have to talk first.”

“Yeah.”

“What happened last night?”

Yuu didn’t respond, the adrenaline in his blood pumping his heart in a painful way.

“What do you mean?”

“You have to tell me who Takanori is.” Kouyou was serious, no sign of joy nor sympathy on his face, and the raven was frozen in time again, his heartache paralyzing him completely.

“I don’t have to tell you anything.” Yuu’s voice was so low, the boy wasn’t sure if Kouyou was able to hear him at all.

“We’re not going to that practice until we talk this out. I’m worried Yuu, I really am. You looked so pale yesterday, like... you saw a ghost. I want to help, but you have to talk to me.”

Yuu couldn’t take it anymore.

“He’s the one who hurt me.”

The awkward silence that followed after Yuu’s words tugged at the boy’s nerves in the most irritating way. He was back to the abyss of self loathe and shame once again, but for the first time, the raven remained emotionless in his spot, not letting any of those feelings break through to the surface.

“The secret he revealed… is it the reason why those kids felt the need to hurt your cat?”

Kouyou’s mind was working fast, combining the details that had slipped through Yuu’s lips before, and the raven was scared. He wanted to escape the situation and feel at least some sort of relief to the pain eating him inside, but he knew Kouyou would never let this go, desperate for answers.

“If I answer this, can we finally go?”

There was hesitation in Kouyou’s eyes which showed briefly before he finally nodded, agreeing to Yuu’s conditions.

“Yes it was.” And as he delivered his answer, the boy simply walked past his senior, leaving him behind and hoping that he would never have to go through such a conversation with Kouyou again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh dear...


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god we've been so excited for this chapter!! i won't give spoilers but i hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!!!!!

Akira had decided to arrive at Yutaka's house a little bit early to allow himself extra time to lug his bass amp, bass guitar and other necessities into Yutaka's garage, but doing so turned out to be a quicker feat than he anticipated, and that was how he ended up sitting in the living room, alone, with this... really weird Takanori guy, while Yutaka was in the kitchen preparing them some tea. To Akira's utter confusion, the future vocalist was donned in more high-end clothes, makeup and his hair done up nicely. The fuck? They were literally going to Yutaka's garage...

"Why do you dress like that?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Like... _that._ Why do you dress... like _that."_ Akira's question came out more as a statement as he raised his eyebrow and scoffed.

"You straight boys don't know anything," Takanori scoffed back, crossing his legs as well as his arms. Jesus Christ, how were _any_ of them going to work with this tiny diva?

And to think Yutaka, sweet, sweet, _innocent_ Yutaka, was related to _this..._

Hold on.

"What do you mean by, 'you straight boys'?"

At Akira's look of astonishment, Takanori was throwing his head back in a dramatic laugh. "It means exactly what I said. You straight boys don't know anything about fashion, or even how to keep yourselves clean half the time." Takanori was faking a retching sound, trying to hold back a laugh as Akira looked beyond offended. "Look at you, you're so... messy. Your hair, your outfit—what did you do, roll out of bed and walk out the door without looking in the mirror? And don’t even get me _started_ on that stupid piece of cloth on your face!"

Akira was shaking his head in total disbelief, his jaw slack at the insults Takanori was throwing at him like the spitballs Akira used to send flying at kids in elementary school. "Excuse me, I didn't need an entire lecture on my personal hygiene, or the personal hygiene of all straight guys. And hey, Kou gave me this noseband when we were kids." This Takanori guy was already starting to rub him the wrong way. "What I _meant_ was... by saying 'you straight boys', you're implying that you aren't one."

Again, Takanori was laughing mockingly. "No shit, straight guy—I'm as gay as the rainbow itself. If you aren't okay with that, have fun trying to start a band without a vocalist, and even if you do find one, they'll never be as good as me."

Akira didn’t really give a fuck about what team Takanori played for, and he’d suspected it from the start; but holy shit, the guy was cocky as hell, and Akira would probably be strangling him right now if another question hadn't popped into his mind.

"How do you know Yuu?"

At that, Takanori's expression went dark, and he contemplated not responding, but in the end he did, choosing to go down the route with a little bit of light-heartedness.

"We were nothing more than acquaintances, back at Yuu's old school," Takanori lied, "but as the two of the very few gay kids in the school, we kind of just... found each other, as gays often do."

"Oh, I see."

And then...

It clicked.

"Hold on for one motherfucking moment."

"Hmm?" Takanori hummed, examining his manicured nails with a frown. What a pity, one was starting to chip. He'd have to make an appointment as soon as possible.

"You said... as the two gay kids..." Akira's wheels started to turn and the smoke was practically pouring out of his ears at the revelation.

"Takanori, you're telling me that Yuu is gay?!"

_Uh-oh._

"You're telling me that you didn't know?" Takanori laughed aloud as he tried to cover up the fact that oh god, holy shit, he wasn't supposed to say that, and he'd fucked up, for the second time.

"I mean, to be honest, I kind of always had an idea. Like you said earlier, you gay guys clean up really well, and Yuu... looks pretty spiffy." Of course there were other reasons Akira had suspected Yuu, but... "Jesus. It's just kind of crazy to hear it out in the open, and to have my suspicions confirmed."

 _If Akira hadn't picked up on Yuu being gay,_ Takanori mused, _then he probably doesn't know about his best friend, either..._

But Takanori was in no place to out Kouyou, as well. Outing Yuu for the second time was bad enough for one day, but the short blond made a mental note to speak to Kouyou about this sometime. It seemed like the senior was totally oblivious to his own sexuality, and Takanori would have to help him fix that.

"Akira, you're not going to bring this up to anybody, got it?" Takanori threw him a stern glare from his side of the couch, the dark makeup around his eyes further intimidating his stare. "It wasn't my place to tell you about Yuu. Don't mention it until he tells you himself."

Akira nodded, matching the sternness of Takanori's glare. The diva meant business, and Akira wasn't fucking around. "I won't tell anyone. But," he smirked soon after, leaning back against the curve of the couch, "it doesn't mean I can't get away with some innocent teasing." Because while Akira always suspected that Yuu was gay, he also suspected that Yuu harboured a very deep crush on Kouyou, and with the confirmation of Yuu's sexuality, the possibility of his crush was very, very probable.

At that, Takanori crossed his arms and matched Akira's smirk. "I suppose you're right."

Maybe Akira would get along with Takanori, after all...

"Tea's ready!" A yelling Yutaka suddenly burst into the room with two mugs in his hands, giving one to Takanori and another to Akira before sitting down on the couch beside his cousin, snuggling up to him. "What did you two talk about while I was gone?"

"Your kin there wouldn't stop insulting my sense of style."

"Uh, I think you mean your _lack_ of style," Takanori playfully shot back to Akira, and Yutaka was grinning excitedly.

"Oh, look at you two! Already becoming friends," Yutaka observed proudly. "Taka, I trust you'll try to do the same with Yuu and Kouyou? If we're all going to be in a band together, we need to like each other!"

Takanori cleared his throat awkwardly. "Yeah, I'll try my best."

"That's my Taka!" Yutaka exclaimed, hugging his cousin tightly, whilst Akira laughed at the display of affections in front of him.

"Hey, don't smudge my makeup! Get off!"

And then the doorbell rang.

"Oh, there they are now!" Yutaka quickly scrambled off of Takanori to answer it, Akira getting up to follow him as he suspected Kouyou and Yuu would need some help with their equipment, while Takanori stayed on his place on the couch. Yutaka opened the door to reveal the two boys they'd been expecting. Kouyou offered a smile when Yutaka greeted them excitedly, while Yuu's face remained... emotionless.

"Hi, Yuu, Kouyou!"

"Hey. Akira, can you help me get the stuff out of the trunk?" Kouyou had decided to drive one of the fancy vehicles his parents left him. He didn't drive often, preferring to walk, but for times like these it was useful to have a personal method of transportation like a car.

"Sure can." Akira walked out with Kouyou to fetch the guitars and anything else the president may have brought, lugging the equipment into the garage. Yuu, Takanori and Yutaka entered the garage through the door leading to the house, and helped the seniors place everything where it should be placed before plugging in.

"We ready to start jamming?" Akira asked, picking up his bass from where it was leaning on his amp.

"Yeah!" Yutaka yipped, making his way over to his drumset as Kouyou and Yuu picked up their guitars, standing on opposite sides of the garage.

"Show me what you guys got," Takanori said, crossing his arms as he observed the four boys in front of him.

Yuu was nervous, but instead of letting it show, he managed to remain emotionless, simply tolerating Takanori’s presence. So far, the used-to-be-timid boy seemed harmless, but the raven couldn’t let his guard down—especially since Kouyou was present during all of their meetings. Yuu couldn’t predict what Takanori would do once he found out Yuu had forgotten about him, instead directing his feelings toward the senior. The boy was still bitter about how things had turned out at their old school and Yuu knew he wouldn’t be able to get over it quickly, as the pain was still just as heavy in his chest. Takanori probably suspected Yuu harbored special feelings for Kouyou already, but all was safe as long as Yuu didn’t give him any confirmation to his suspicions.

He had to be careful—especially now as Kouyou had changed quite a bit, throwing glances at him every time he had the chance. Yuu felt overwhelmed once again as he tried to block not only one, but _two_ people from affecting him as he knew he had to protect himself now more than ever.

“What do you mean to show you what we got?” Akira scrunched up his nose after hearing Takanori’s comment.

“We’ve never played together before,” Yuu spoke for the first time since he and Kouyou arrived, and that turned everyone’s attention to him. “We have to see if we can work together first.”

 _Apparently you and Kouyou work together perfectly,_ Takanori thought to himself, but kept it unspoken. “You should start with something familiar,” the blond was quick to add to Yuu’s words, but the raven didn’t spare him a glance as he kept talking.

“We have to play a cover, something we all know by heart and are confident with... and then build communication between us.”

“Akira and I have played some songs together before.” Kouyou spoke with a smile on his face, probably proud that he wasn’t completely new to the concept. “We’ve played Luna Sea.”

“I know the drums for Face to Face!” Yutaka pitched in and then Takanori snorted as though he knew something the rest of them didn’t, but Yuu knew exactly what it was.

“I know most of X’s songs, they’re my favourite,” the raven finally confessed, and everyone seemed to understand the issue here as their happy faces morphed into concerned ones.

“Okay… so one of our guitarists is into heavy metal while the other is into alternative rock,” Akira was first to break the awkward silence, voicing out everyone’s thoughts. “That’s just great...” he added sarcastically, and Kouyou was quick to send him an intimidating glare.

“We’ll build our own sound. Besides, you already know our musical differences haven’t been an issue in the past, Akira.” The president’s voice was stern and he threw another glance at the other guitarist, but was simply ignored again, Yuu still avoiding any interaction between them. “But like Yuu said, first we have to learn how to work with each other,”

Yuu kept his gaze locked on the guitar in his hands, sitting on the amp positioned next to Yutaka’s drums and the boy bit his lip as the feeling of the senior’s stern gaze on him felt almost disturbing.

“I know Face to Face’s chords,” Yuu replied with a sigh before mentioning the vocalist directly for the first time. “We can try it, but we don’t need Takanori at this point. He should listen since he’s in the best position for that. I guarantee our soundcheck sucks right now.”

He expected the diva to object or interrupt him, but it didn’t happen and Yuu felt relieved as the inevitable confrontation between them had been miraculously avoided.

“Okay.” Kouyou nodded, everyone shifting in their positions as Yutaka gave the first 4 clangs of his sticks before everyone hit their first notes and they began the song.

Yuu tried to count, listening to Yutaka carefully as he found how difficult it was to hear Kouyou and Akira. The place didn’t have the proper acoustics but he expected it, knowing they’d have to work around it. He looked at Kouyou a couple of times as he tried to send few silent signals at him as they played, and Yuu finally smiled, feeling content with the way they seemed to understand each other. It made him relax and simply enjoy the notes filling the small garage, not realising how warm their smiles grew to be, before the glances turned into stares little before the song ended. It was… unexpected, but Yuu loved it and quickly felt calm seeing that at least one thing seemed to work perfectly between them. He quickly hid all of those feelings away, though, returning to his initial state, hoping that the diva sitting in the corner didn’t notice the short display of affection Yuu let himself send Kouyou’s way.

Takanori had a satisfied look on his face nonetheless, staring at Yuu for a little longer than usual, which caused for the raven to feel strange tinge at his heart.

“That was good!” Yutaka was glowing as he stood up from his seat, smiling widely at everyone.

“I couldn’t hear Kouyou very well, but since Yuu took the rhythm I was able to balance it out between him and Yutaka,” Akira commented with a thoughtful look on his face and looked at Yuu who was standing next to him, emotionless to anything that was happening in front of him.

“We have to try more covers,” Takanori added and walked closer to them, holding the mic in his hands this time. “We should try this again, I know the song but I’ll have to look up the lyrics.”

Everyone nodded then and as they checked the equipment one last time, they played the song again, feeling content, Yuu glancing at Kouyou and the rest, communicating with each other while Takanori’s voice added perfectly to the sound.

The  had forgotten how unique that voice was and it sent chills down his spine—yet he felt content after hearing it again, complimenting the sound of his guitar in the same way it used to in the past.

Yuu felt calm around his past love for the first time as the group played for the rest of the day in that garage.

~

The practice ended, leaving everyone in a good mood. Yuu was growing accustomed to the situation he was in, and even though the thought of giving up had crossed his mind a couple of times, he didn’t give in. He was determined to fight his insecurities and wouldn’t let his past with Takanori dictate his decisions anymore. These boys didn’t deserve it and if they were appreciating Yuu and wanted him in their circle, he had to try and be a part of it.

He owed it to Kouyou the most, since the blond had been the first to accept him and also grant him with the opportunity to be a part of something as special as a band. Truthfully, Yuu couldn’t deny how much it meant for him to be playing guitar again, and with other people on top of it.

Yutaka was kind enough to ask them all to stay for a drink or two before going home, and the boys were back in the living room, music playing in the background as as they grew more comfortable with each other.

But Yuu never lost sight of Takanori and kept his guard in place as he observed how the boys were talking and interacting with each other. The situation was unnatural for the raven and he couldn’t understand what had happened to this boy who looked different now, acted differently, and was so open about an aspect that he used to absolutely deny in the past.

“Being gay has its perks, you know,” Takanori stated after revealing the shocking news to Yuu and Kouyou, who just stared back at him in disbelief.

“And what are they?” Akira rose an eyebrow at the confident blond.

“I know how to be fabulous, for example.”

Yuu tensed up and stopped listening to the boys as they started throwing playful insults at each other a moment later, Yutaka desperately trying to change the topic a moment later, but without success.

The raven was devastated and his body went even stiffer as he realized what was happening in front of him.

Takanori’s actions in the past totally didn’t suit the person he was right now, and it angered Yuu. He couldn’t believe that all of the torture he had to go through was for _nothing._ He used to blame himself and he thought that he had damaged his straight friend, despite the way _he_ was betrayed in the end, but now…

The betrayal seemed even bigger. Why did Takanori destroy Yuu in the first place, if he was gay himself?

“Yuu.” The raven flinched hearing Kouyou’s voice in his ear. “Are you alright?”

Yuu then felt the familiar warmth of the blond’s hand on his waist, sensing a certain pair of curious eyes watching them from afar.

“I’m fine, I just need some air.” He quickly pulled away, trying to avoid Kouyou’s touch before standing up a second later, ready to aim for the lonely balcony when the blond suddenly grabbed his wrist.

“Are you sure? Do you want me to come?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Yuu didn’t look at the president and, as soon as his wrist was free again, he walked to the balcony and went outside, breathing heavily and taking in all of the cold air he could fit in his lungs.

He simply stared into the night for a brief couple of minutes until his heartbeat eased and he was able to put his thoughts in order.

This sudden… _clinginess_ that the blond had been showing lately was beyond confusing. Yuu wanted to answer all of Kouyou’s advances, but he knew it was probably too dangerous, considering Kouyou was allegedly straight. And yet the boy was slowly losing control over his feelings and he didn’t know how long he could take their current situation. The blond was acting different and so… _adorable_ at times, what with the way he looked after Yuu now, sensing every change in the younger’s emotional state… trying to help and support him… Yuu’s mind was spinning, and the worst part of it all was that as they grew closer together, he was beginning to develop hope for something a lot more… and now, after seeing Takanori’s completely changed facade, he couldn’t help but also wonder—was it possible for Kouyou to be different too, but not know it yet?

“Hey.” Yuu quickly turned to his left and saw the smiling face of Takanori as he suddenly appeared on the balcony with him. “I want… to talk to you. If that’s okay, of course.”

Yuu didn’t move as he considered the boy’s words for a second.

“What if _I_ don’t want to talk to you?”

“I just wanted to apologize.”

Yuu merely stared at the blond and didn’t respond, knowing that Takanori wasn't a quitter and, even if Yuu refused, the diva would find his way around it. It was obvious the boy was waiting for a reaction, but Yuu wasn’t going to give it to him. Not yet. He was still angry and hurt by Takanori’s presence, as it reminded him of all that Yuu had tried so desperately to put behind him and forget.

“You can talk, but I can’t guarantee that I’ll be listening.” Yuu’s cold voice startled Takanori for a moment but it didn’t last long, the short boy smiling warmly before speaking up again.

“I can see you haven’t changed at all.”

The statement made something break deeply in Yuu’s chest and he quickly averted his gaze, staring into the night instead.

“You’re so different around that senior, though. I’ve never seen you like this, not even around me.”

The boy’s words set fire to Yuu’s boiling emotions, threatening to pour out as the boy sent a glare at his ex-best friend. “I thought you wanted to apologize.”

“I’m not trying to mess with you, Yuu.” The perfect brows of the short boy locked in a frown and the raven didn’t reply, simply observing every inch of Takanori’s alleged concern. “You never directed your temper towards me, and I… took you for granted without realising it.”

Yuu didn’t reply again, instead choosing to stay silent, which made Takanori’s pause even more awkward before the boy sighed and continued with his speech. “You were so shy and so perfect, I can’t remember a time when you said no to me. And… I can’t deny that I liked it. I realise now how much you probably wanted me to like you and, more often than not, obliged to every stupid desire of mine, no matter how spoiled I was. Not even when I was damaging your pride. That’s why I was so surprised to see... how cold you are around Kouyou, and yet I could swear you have feelings for him.”

The mere mention of the blond’s name crumbled Yuu’s pillar of self control before he threw the most murderous glare he was capable of at the love of his past. “Stop trying to analyse me!” His breaths got erratic and his tone snapped Takanori out of his monotone rant. The boy was staring at him with widened eyes, and Yuu felt another rush of adrenaline and anger. “I already did the calculations when you broke me, thank you very much. I don’t need _you_ to tell me how stupid I was...”

“What I did was horrible. There’s no denying that. I’m sorry for everything I did. “ Takanori spoke again, but his tone was much softer now, his confident facade nonexistent as he stared back into Yuu’s furious eyes. “I don’t know how to make up for it, or if it’s even possible at all, but I am really sorry and I honestly felt horrible after you left… I looked for you, but you just vanished.”

Yuu shifted in his position as he listened, hugging himself tightly as if to prevent his body from crumbling when Takanori’s voice fell even lower, almost into a whisper.

“I don’t know if you can forgive me, but I have to thank you, too; because if it wasn’t for you… I wouldn’t have discovered myself, and I would have never grow to be strong enough to feel comfortable with the real Takanori in the end.”

Yuu’s heart was breaking, hearing the small reminder that the boy standing in front of him wasn’t much different than he was. The raven slowly lifted his gaze, feeling both anger and sadness overwhelm him. He couldn’t forgive Takanori, he wasn’t ready to have him back in his life, but Yuu didn’t want to hate the boy anymore, either. Hate alone had damaged him enough as it came in different forms from the past, causing him to swear that he would destroy every last bit of it in his life. And he almost succeeded as he ran away and never looked back—until Takanori came crashing back into his life. Now was the worst time for them both to reunite again.

“Do you think you can try… to forgive me?”

“I’ll think about it,” Yuu whispered back, taking in another deep breath and still feeling uncomfortable in Takanori’s presence, even now. He needed time, and there was a lot on the table for him to process. It had been a tough fight to get this far and grow strong enough to be able to move on, but… he needed more time.

“Thank you, Yuu.” The short blond cast him a soft look before taking out a cigarette. “Kouyou is nice, I can understand why you chose him.”

Yuu shot another glare at him and Takanori rose his hands up in the air apologetically.

“Hey, I’m sorry, but honestly... I normally wouldn’t interfere, but the guy is into you—yet too dumb to see it himself. I just—”

“What do you mean?” Yuu’s heart was beating painfully in his chest, his feelings boiling with a new hope, despite how unbelievable and frightening everything seemed to him, even now.

“Yuu, Kouyou likes you, and I’m sure I’m not the only one seeing that. But seriously, you have to stop pushing him away whenever I’m there.” Yuu quickly averted his gaze and tried to ignore the fire in his chest as it burned both stronger and hotter than ever. “Look at him.”

Yuu didn’t move and, as seconds passed, Takanori rolled his eyes and pointed at the boys that could be seen through the window.

“Please, Yuu. Don’t be stubborn now. I’m honest. Trust me and look at him.”

And then Yuu ignored all of the alarms in his head before he slowly turned around, looking for his senior’s figure on the other side of the window.

As his eyes fell on the blond he realized he was staring back, still sitting on the sofa and completely oblivious to the laughing boys around him. His face was unreadable yet serious, and filled with… was that distress? Yuu’s heart immediately sank.

“He’s worried about you.” Takanori crossed his arms as he took a drag from his cigarette.

Yuu looked at him again but remained speechless, still unable to process what exactly was going on. He couldn’t trust Takanori, but he was already tired as a result of the constant disappointment his heart was going through, which was why he couldn’t help but wonder if Takanori was really trying to… help him somehow. Or was he just trying to wreck Yuu again?

“He’s confused and he needs a little push. Only then will he finally understand, but it must be you who gives him the final kick.”

~

As much as Kouyou was slightly displeased with how Takanori and Yuu were alone on the balcony, he knew he couldn't interfere. Kouyou still might be unaware of exactly how Takanori betrayed Yuu, but after all this time, maybe the short blond had changed. Maybe he would apologize to Yuu, or make it up to him somehow. Because of that, Kouyou didn't intervene—but he kept a close eye on the two boys on the balcony, just in case.

Something Kouyou was highly pleased with, though, was the fact that Yuu endured the band practice without fuss, and Kouyou would have had to be blind to miss the triumphant smiles that would take over Yuu's face, as well as Kouyou's, when the two guitarists fell into perfect sync during the song. The feeling was exhilarating, and to know that Yuu hadn't denied the possibility of another practice left Kouyou elated. He wanted this for Yuu, and for himself as well. For the rest of his friends, and this Takanori guy. As much as Kouyou still kept wary about the blond's presence around Yuu, considering how Yuu had reacted the previous night, it was possible that a new leaf could be turned over in all of their lives if Yuu and Takanori patched up what they could of whatever their destroyed past had been. A new chapter.

To be frank, Takanori didn't seem like a bad guy, either. Yes, he was... weird, but he truly didn't seem like the terrible person Yuu had so vaguely described him to be in the past. The thought reassured Kouyou; if they were going to be seeing each other on a regular basis, now, Kouyou didn't want Yuu to feel uncomfortable, ever. Despite how much Kouyou wanted this band to work, he would kick Yuu out himself if the raven felt too distressed, given the circumstances.

And then Kouyou would kick himself out, because a band without Yuu was not a band worth being in.

Akira and Yutaka could be heard laughing in the background, but Kouyou kept most of his attention focused on Yuu and Takanori on the balcony. He picked up on Yuu's apprehensiveness, and how Takanori seemed... soft. He wasn't the confident diva he usually was right now. Right now, he seemed to be gentle with Yuu, and it brought peace to Kouyou. Especially when he saw Yuu smile shyly, or go bashful at something Takanori said.

...No, that was a lie.

Kouyou didn't like seeing Yuu like that. Not when he wasn't the cause of it.

As always, Kouyou was too much of an idiot to realize that, but he certainly felt the surge of irritation that made his fists clench involuntarily, and for some reason his instincts told him to get up and walk to the balcony, which he listened to.

He cleared his throat before speaking, catching the attention of both smaller boys. "I hope I'm not interrupting something, but I was wondering if you wanted another drink, Yuu?"

Takanori tapped his cigarette over the balcony, letting some of the ashes fall to the ground as his lips upturned into a sly smirk. Yuu looked hesitant. "Come on, Yuu. Live a little," Takanori encouraged giving him a glance, and Yuu took a big inhale before speaking.

"Yeah, I would. Thanks."

"No problem," Kouyou waved it off, giving himself inner high-fives as he'd successfully captured Yuu's attention again. "Taka, anything for you?" Kouyou offered to the blond next, making sure to include him. If he was going to be their vocalist, and potential friend, Kouyou wanted to be on his good side—because although tiny, Takanori surely didn’t seem like a force to be reckoned with.

"Yes please, if you don't mind. Make it fruity."

"You got it," Kouyou said before turning on his heels and walking back inside, trying to ignore the girlish giggles that he could hear coming from Takanori back on the balcony.

Truly a weirdo.

~

"Hold on, I forgot to tell Kouyou an ingredient I want." Takanori excused himself from where he was sitting in the living room, having returned inside with Yuu just moments ago. He made his way to the kitchen to find Kouyou mixing up drinks, as promised.

"Don't be afraid to make mine strong."

Kouyou almost dropped his glass at the low voice of Takanori that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. "Not a problem," he sent the short blond a smile, setting the mixture down onto the table before adding some more alcohol into it.

"You know, Kouyou," Takanori spoke again, his voice quiet. He leaned up against the counter beside the president, his arms crossed as he pursed his lips. "Let me tell you something real quick..."

"Alright," Kouyou agreed, stilling his actions and raising an eyebrow at Takanori's odd behaviour. Or maybe it was his regular behaviour; Kouyou didn't know.

"Yuu is stubborn. Very, very stubborn—but don't let it discourage you in any way, you hear me?" The short blond locked gazes with the taller one, causing Kouyou to flinch awkwardly. Why was Takanori telling him this all of a sudden?

"Uh... what do you mean by that?"

"He might try to push you away. Don't let him do it, Kouyou." Takanori's gaze was so intense, Kouyou had to look away. "Not when he's so vulnerable..."

Kouyou didn't understand. Of course he didn't—Takanori was giving him riddles.

This frustrated Takanori; how the hell was he going to get through that thick skull of Kouyou's?!

_Baby steps, Taka. Baby steps. Poor guy just needed a few pushes in the right direction to get him started..._

...But if Kouyou was as stupid as Takanori assumed he was, Takanori would have no problem giving him a harsh shove in the right direction, if need be.

 _But not yet,_ the little blond asserted to himself. _Baby. Steps._

"O... Okay," Kouyou replied awkwardly, resuming the mixing of the drinks as Takanori examined a manicured nail and then pushed himself away from the countertop he was leaning on.

"Don't be afraid to make Yuu's a little bit extra stronger, too. We're here to have fun tonight."

And then Takanori was gone, leaving Kouyou absolutely dumbfounded by what had just happened.

~

Kouyou and Akira couldn't have more than a beer each, as they both had vehicles they had to drive home, but they watched and laughed as Yuu, Takanori, and Yutaka let go of their conscience, downing multiple drinks, which meant that, before long, the three of them were pretty well hammered. Takanori was, unsurprisingly, a flirty drunk, making Akira slightly uncomfortable on multiple occasions, which Kouyou couldn't help but laugh at. Yutaka was obnoxious, as Kouyou remembered him to be at the previous party, but he didn't mind too much considering they were in a more controlled environment.

Yuu on the other hand, he... was something else entirely. Something Kouyou had never seen before, and truthfully, he didn't know what to think.

Drunk Yuu was not the Yuu that Kouyou knew. Not the shy, bashful Yuu he knew so well day-by-day.

No, Drunk Yuu was... well, to say the least...

Affectionate.

Very, very affectionate.

So affectionate that the raven had cuddled right up to Kouyou where the blond sat on the couch, forcing himself under Kouyou's arm so that Kouyou had no choice but to keep his arm wrapped around the raven's shoulders (because if he didn't, Yuu would just slip right back under his hold, or risk falling off of the couch. But it wasn't like Kouyou really wanted to let go, anyways...)

Kouyou tried not to think much of it. He really, really didn’t. Even when Akira laughed mockingly at him, in return for when Kouyou would laugh at him for being a victim of Takanori's drunk behaviour. But the feeling of Yuu's warm, sleepy body draping against his set all of his nerves ablaze. Yuu's adorable giggles and cuddly behaviour made Kouyou feel uncomfortable in a way he didn't understand; because if he was truly uncomfortable, he would have pushed Yuu off.

But he didn't, and that's what confused him the most.

Instead, he allowed his arm to wrap tightly around Yuu's slender body, and Kouyou told himself it was just to keep Yuu from hurting himself somehow. It was better to have Yuu clinging onto Kouyou than it was to have him fall over and break a bone, or something...

Yuu was just Kouyou's responsibility tonight, right? Nothing more. Like when Kouyou had gotten really drunk, and Yuu brought him home safely that one night...

That one night. The night that changed everything Kouyou knew.

Meanwhile, Akira snickered through the straight face that he tried to maintain, but failed.

"Shut up, Akira. I don't see you resisting very much," Kouyou snapped, watching as Takanori cuddled Akira in a very similar manner.

"Akiiiiii. Let me give you a makeoverrrrr," Takanori whined as he played with Akira's unruly hair, a frown on his face before tugging on the noseband. "You're so uglyyyyy."

"Kouyou." Akira's stern voice made its way to Kouyou's ears. "We are never, _ever,_ letting these three get drunk again."

"At least Yutaka seems pretty taken care of already," Kouyou offered with a chuckle, gesturing to the Yutaka who had passed out on the couch already.

"Kouuuyouuu, hug meee." Yuu's whines filled the room just after Takanori's, snaking his arms around Kouyou's waist as he buried his head into Kouyou's firm pecs.

Why was Yuu so fucking cute? What with how his long lashes would bat up at Kouyou, how his beautiful, dark eyes bore into the senior's own, the raven's silky locks draping down over the firm muscles of Kouyou's arm as Kouyou held him in place against his body, for some reason not wanting to let him go...

"Kouuu," Yuu whined again, softer this time, and it made Kouyou's body feel warm all over as the raven snuggled so, so fucking adorably in Kouyou's arms. The senior just couldn't ignore how perfect Yuu felt in his hold, and... Kouyou almost felt saddened to know that Yuu wasn't doing this willingly, and that he probably wouldn't remember, either. "Kou, I want..."

"Hmm?" Kouyou hummed down at Yuu, who looked like a goddamn kitten.

"Want to kiss you, Kouyou..."

And then before Kouyou could even process those sinful words coming from Yuu's sweet mouth, the raven was pressing his lips upon Kouyou's for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;) ;) ;)


	16. Chapter 16

Yuu’s mind was blank as he pressed his lips into Kouyou’s. He wasn’t thinking before the sacred words were spoken and the boy confessed his innermost desire to his senior, completely forgetting where they were… and who they were with.

The intoxication of the alcohol in his body had Yuu’s proper judgement clouded and almost completely dissipated, his actions free of scruples as he pressed his lips into the blond’s even harder—and to both his and Kouyou’s surprise, the blond didn’t push him away. Instead, in an internal flurry of  _ what the fuck is going on _ and  _ oh god, his lips are so soft _ overtaking the senior’s mind had him unmoving as the raven did the same, the two boys simply engaging in nothing more than the lip-to-lip contact Kouyou couldn’t deny he loved—at least, from girls it had always felt pleasurable; soft, delicate. Much like the lips against his own in that very moment...

But Yuu was a boy.

Yuu was… Yuu. 

And so, Kouyou couldn’t understand an ounce of the sparks of unspoken passion he now felt.

The raven’s face was getting warm, the attraction and desire for the taller boy intoxicating him even more than the alcohol itself, feeling dizzy as he finally pulled away and inhaled deeply. He closed his eyes, too embarrassed to meet his senior’s gaze and opting to simply cuddle the taller boy. The raven tightened his grip around Kouyou, still unable to come to his senses, yet in a state conscious enough to appreciate the radiating warmth that he craved so much—Kouyou hugged him back just as tight, unable to fully comprehend the situation; he’d been dazed, the stun of Yuu’s lips against his own like that of a tranquilizer.

“I think we should leave.” Kouyou’s voice was distant, despite how close it actually was. The blond’s breath brushed at Yuu’s face as he spoke. “I’ll take him home.”

“No…” The raven whispered in protest as soon as he heard his senior’s plan, but he was far too weak and Kouyou managed to free his body from the boy’s grip easily, lifting him up on his feet a second later.

Yuu’s mind spun and his knees quivered as he tried not to fall back on the couch, but he lost his balance and stumbled instead, his senior circling his arms around the smaller frame and holding him close again.

In that moment, Yuu felt calm, secure… and so,  _ so  _ in love with Kouyou, who lifted Yuu in his arms a second later, allowing the drunk teen to snuggle up closer and hide his face in the crook of the blond’s neck.

“Don’t have too much fun with him, Kou.” Akira’s words echoed in Yuu’s ears as he finally gave in to the spinning in his head and fell deep into his illusions, completely oblivious to the world around them, instead relishing in the moment he currently shared with the boy of his dreams.

_ “Akiraaaa, why does Yuu get a kiss and I don’t?” _

_ “Shut up, Taka.” _

~

Yuu opened his eyes and tried to focus the images around him but found himself unable, his head spinning even more before he heard a clicking sound, a door next to him opening a second later. Familiar hands circled around him and he was pulled out of his slumber as they helped him get out of the vehicle he hadn’t even realized he was in. Those hands held him securely once the boy was back on his feet and his head fell on someone’s shoulder, a known sent filling his nostrils.

“Kou…” Yuu smiled softly and snuggled into his senior as the blond lifted him in his strong arms again. The raven was completely out, unable to comprehend what he was doing, nor acknowledge any of his surroundings, but the remnants of his consciousness managed to react pretty quick to the position he was in.

“I can… walk,” he protested with a slurring voice.

“No, you can’t.” Kouyou’s voice remained sounding distant to Yuu, but he didn’t care, instead opting to relish in their moment for just a little longer until he felt that warmth leaving him, his back making contact with something soft and… quite familiar.

Yuu opened his eyes and tried to scan his surroundings, only to realize… he wasn’t in his home.

“K… Kou…” He stuttered and felt tickling at his feet, his shoes being removed carefully as he spoke. “This is… your room. I should go hoooome…”

“No, no.” The same gentle voice reached Yuu’s ears. “I can’t drop you off there; your mom will freak out and kill us. I’ll just text her and tell her you’re at my house so that she doesn’t worry about you.”

“Hmm... “ The boy felt dizzy again, unable to produce more than incoherent sounds as his exhaustion almost engulfed him in its entirety when he felt Kouyou’s fingers on his hips, trying to retrieve the raven’s phone from his pants.

But the touch had Yuu’s intoxication back in full swing, feeling cheeky and playful as he felt the blond’s fingers caressing him again in a way that felt so…  _ suggestive. _

“No…” He smiled and reached down, grabbing his phone successfully and prying it away from Kouyou’s reach. 

His senior tried to steal the phone back, but Yuu didn’t let him as the raven hid the device under his small body, smiling triumphantly in the end. His vision was still blurred but he was able to recognise the frown on Kouyou’s face that made Yuu chuckle.

“Yuu, please.”

“What?” The boy’s mind was blank again, his body acting out on its own, Yuu smiling gently as he stared at Kouyou with innocent eyes. He didn’t know how it happened, but without a moment of hesitation he was somehow clamping down onto his senior’s hips with his thighs again, the raven’s lower regions already reacting to the whole situation in the most embarrassing way, making the boy feel hotter by the second.

But Yuu wasn’t in a state to care anymore—he let all of his worries go, knowing that this was probably the only time he would feel as daring as he did right now.

Kouyou tried to snatch the phone from under Yuu’s body, but the drunk boy was quick and grabbed at the senior’s hands before they could, successfully stopping them from reaching the device under him. He simply continued to stare into Kouyou’s confused, dark orbs, and Yuu’s fingers clasped gently around the blond’s big palms.

“Yuu…”

“Hmm…?” The raven couldn’t help it as he cocked his head to the side, biting on his lower lip cheekily. He let his thighs travel up and clamp down on Kouyou’s waist, brushing at the blond’s hips so suggestively it sent jolts of heat towards their dangerously close southern parts. 

The boy’s daring act made Kouyou furious, his hands quickly grabbing Yuu’s wrists and planting them on either side of the raven’s head.

“Stop it, Yuu.”

But those words never reached the ears of the younger boy who was absolutely lost in the heat of their new position. Yuu closed his eyes and his body moved instinctively, his newfound erection pressing hard at Kouyou’s own, his full lips parting as he gasped, almost letting out a moan as pleasure blurred his vision.

“Fuck,  _ Yuu...” _

And then Yuu felt Kouyou’s body brush against his, sheets ruffling as Yuu’s phone was gone from under his body just a second later, earning a frown from the drunk boy; a frown of  _ disappointment. _

The body pressing against his just moments ago had disappeared and he felt cold—so utterly cold, and so  _ lonely…  _ so hurt, and so  _ needy. _

He couldn’t take it and his body acted on its own once again, lifting up slowly and finding the warmth he craved so much, climbing onto it, holding onto it as if it were his lifeline.

They were both back on the sheets again, but after getting hit with a wave of exhaustion, Yuu rested his body on top of Kouyou’s, nuzzling his head into his neck before his mind went bleak. The weakness of his exhaustion soon took over and he fell into the abyss of his dreams, leaving the senior wide awake and feeling trapped by all of the questions and feelings storming inside of him. Not even the soft sounds of Yuu's breathing were enough to distract Kouyou from the cage that was his mind now, bursting with thoughts and anxieties and so, so much else, that Kouyou couldn't believe  _ anything  _ that was happening right now, or had just happened, or had happened that night, was his reality. It wasn't until now, with Yuu curled up and asleep on his chest like a kitten, could Kouyou breathe and try to make sense of what his life had become.

He tried not to think. He tried to sleep, instead, knowing that his whirling thoughts would bring more bad than they would good.

But he just couldn't do it. There were too many things prevalent in his mind, yanking him out of slumber whenever he was on the brink of it.

There was one thought that reigned powerful above all others, one Kouyou just couldn't shake no matter how hard he tried.

That thought was the fact that Yuu had kissed him. Of course, Yuu was drunk, and anything could happen when someone was drunk. But what had shaken Kouyou to the core most of all was that he didn’t pull away from the kiss like one would expect him to—although it came as a shock, the sudden kiss didn’t disgust him, and even though it had been an act of intoxication, the blond knew he would’ve leaned his head down to take advantage of Yuu's offering further, had the raven not been drunk. Kouyou knew now that he enjoyed the feeling of Yuu's plush lips upon his own, and craved more. He wouldn't be satisfied with just that. And the thought scared him. He shouldn't want more.

But he did.

Kouyou had to remember that Yuu was drunk when he did it, just a spur-of-the moment action, and the little raven wouldn't even remember it.

Why did that disappoint Kouyou? Did he want Yuu to remember?

Yes. In the undiscovered depths of his self, Kouyou did. He wanted Yuu to remember the kiss. Kouyou wanted to know... if it had meant something, or if it was just an innocent, drunk doing.

The possibility of the kiss being without feeling behind it crushed Kouyou's heart, and because of that, Kouyou was terrified. Even if the kiss meant nothing to Yuu, it meant something to Kouyou. Even if the taste of the kiss had been nothing but alcohol, Yuu was sweet, and Kouyou craved him.

He felt his body grow hot and his heart burst into fireworks at the way Yuu hugged him so closely, and Kouyou found himself wrapping his muscular arms around Yuu's waist to hold him tighter. He wanted to hold Yuu and never let him go. He didn't want anybody else, not Hana nor Yumi, to get a taste of what Kouyou wanted so desperately and currently held in his arms, yet felt otherworldly; a being unable to be claimed as his own.

And now, as Yuu was clinging onto Kouyou's form, snoring softly to the rhythm of his breaths as he was taken deeply into sleep, Kouyou... felt something, for the first time in so long.

And Kouyou was afraid of that something.

That something was his feelings.

His feelings he kept so tightly caged and locked away, because he was afraid of them.

Kouyou had caught feelings for Yuu.

And he didn't know what to do.

"Yuu..." Kouyou softly cried out—despite knowing the raven was asleep—as he inhaled the sweet, flowery scents of Yuu's hair, as the strands tickled his neck and Kouyou could feel Yuu's peaceful, warm breaths set fire to his skin. He tried to hold back what he shamefully recognized to be tears as he basked in the quiet, intimate moment, feeding off of Yuu's warmth, but he couldn't. Kouyou cried silently into the darkness, his lip trembling as he held his entire world in his arms.

Yuu... was Kouyou's world. But was he really, when Kouyou didn't actually own him?

For tonight, just tonight, Kouyou could pretend that he was. He could pretend Yuu was his, that the kiss had feelings that matched the intensity of Kouyou's own. He could pretend that Yuu hadn't drunkenly clung onto his body as the raven snored softly into bliss.

Kouyou could pretend that Yuu loved him back, as he fell into an agonizingly broken sleep—one of the worst he’d had in a long time, despite Yuu’s presence.

~

As the light of a new day filtered through his sleep-deprived eyelids, Kouyou sighed before prying one open to glance at the clock. 11:26 AM. The senior lay on his side, his mind bleak from exhaustion as he’d managed to block out the haunting thoughts of the previous night, even just momentarily. He couldn’t even remember what day it was, but whether or not he had school wasn’t currently an issue in the forefront of his consciousness. 

...But the feeling of something cold and foreign against his leg was enough to startle him completely awake as he’d momentarily forgotten about the existence of his bedmate.

_ “Fuck!” _

“What the…” The source of the foreign object muttered, and it was then that Kouyou realized it had been Yuu’s foot that brushed up against his leg. “Kouyou… it’s just me,” the raven comforted in a slurred voice, although he didn’t move as the hangover was pounding painfully in his head. Kouyou merely sighed as he continued laying opposite of Yuu, refusing to look at the raven before closing his eyes again as he wondered,  _ what did Yuu remember from the previous night? _

"Sorry, you scared me. How... do you feel? You got... uh, hammered last night," he murmured in an attempt to change the subject.

Yuu  _ couldn’t  _ move, feeling numb yet in so much  _ agony  _ at the same time. His head was heavy and he had been awake for a little while now, although unable to remember anything from the previous night; he was scared, panicking over what might have happened as he was very aware of what his drunken state could be… but he did it on purpose, even if he hesitated at first, because Takanori seemed so confident in his words that Yuu wanted to believe the little blond… wanted to believe that he and Kouyou had a chance of becoming something more.

But Kouyou’s words pulled him back to his senses, his headache growing instantly.

“Kouyou…” He spoke low, still not moving from his position. “I’m sorry, I… don’t feel well.”

“Yuu...” Kouyou’s voice was full of concern as he finally rolled over to face Yuu—and Jesus, he really didn’t look too good himself, but the raven couldn’t bring himself to think of anything but his pounding head. ”Do you feel sick?”

“No,” Yuu replied and stared back, his heart beating fast at Kouyou’s show of affection as the senior pushed a few strands of Yuu’s hair away, his long fingers brushing gently at the skin of the younger boy’s face.

What was happening? Why did the blond seem so off? But why was he still so damn perfect, making Yuu’s mind go mad with all of the questions spinning in his head? He was uncertain and so,  _ so  _ scared, but he couldn’t deny how much he loved the way they were right now. What was happening to Kouyou? What was this newfound sadness filling his gorgeous eyes every time he looked into the raven’s own?

“I just feel pain all over,” he murmured, trembling under the sheets. ”And I’m freezing.”

Kouyou frowned at that.

“It’s really warm in my room right now.” His hand moved to the boy’s forehead, touching it gently with his palm. “You’re burning.”

Yuu snorted as he remembered the way he spoke the same words to the blond when he was drunk at Yuu’s house.

“We tend to get feverish when we get drunk, huh?” The raven tried to laugh despite the pain he felt in his body, and Kouyou’s lips curved up slightly, the sadness in his eyes even more prominent as he did so.

“You should take a shower, and I’ll make you something hot to drink. The maid comes during the afternoons to clean up, but I’m sure I can make you something myself,” Kouyou offered before his face took on a thoughtful expression. “And some breakfast too. Yeah, definitely.” Despite Kouyou’s own state, he couldn’t ignore Yuu’s and he wanted to pamper him whenever possible; because damn, hangovers sucked.

The senior grinned and it eased the raven’s anxious heartbeat as Yuu saw that Kouyou was slowly reverting back to his usual self.

“Kouyou…” Yuu started with a shaky voice. “What happened last night? Was I… embarrassing?”

There was an awkward silence between them as they stared at each other. Kouyou sighed a moment later, looking away as he did so.

“No... everything was fine. I just brought you here because I thought your mom would kill us, so I texted her from your phone.”

Yuu’s eyes widened at that.

“Mom…”

“It’s alright, I took care of it.” Kouyou seemed so confident in his words that Yuu didn’t have a chance but to trust him entirely. “You should really take a shower though; you’ll feel better. I’ll give you some clothes.”

Yuu nodded and didn’t dare to object as he moved from his position and, despite the pain in his entire body, he managed to get up and get to the bathroom… with Kouyou’s help. At least Yuu still didn’t feel sick, and he wondered if the fact that he hadn’t eaten much the previous day had saved him from that embarrassment now. Maybe his body had been too unused to the alcoholic kind of intoxication—maybe he’d feel worse later.

Once he was inside the bathroom, Yuu tried to free his mind and let it rest, but he couldn’t get his senior out of his head. He thought about him for a while, before realizing how sad he felt when Kouyou told him… that their evening was fine, and nothing weird had happened last night. Despite his lame attempt to gain his courage back and approach Kouyou, that mission of his failed in the end, and Yuu found that he felt an odd disappointment that frightened him in a way. Maybe he secretly hoped that something would happen after all. His memories were blurry but he recalled short flashbacks, one of them being Kouyou trying to take Yuu’s phone from the pocket of his pants, but for the most part… the boy couldn’t remember anything specific. Anything that would tell him if anything went wrong last night. And as he thought more about it, he found that he couldn’t hold back his feelings anymore. He needed to know what was behind Kouyou’s affectionate behavior, and he had to find a way to do it harmlessly or else he was bound to go mad.

~

Kouyou said that his room was hot, but on second thought, maybe it had just been Yuu's close proximity that made his body feel that way... nevertheless, he was more than happy to get Yuu in the shower and away from him for a little while, because Jesus Christ, Kouyou was going insane, and he knew he'd end up losing it if he had to stay one more moment in bed with Yuu.

Not because he didn't enjoy being in bed with Yuu. No (although Kouyou wouldn't admit it just yet), he enjoyed it very much. But given the circumstances, it felt... wrong, for him to enjoy Yuu's closeness, and the intimate moments they had shared. Especially considering Yuu wasn't aware of his behaviour the previous night. Kouyou knew he had to tell him eventually, but... now wasn't the time.

With a relieved sigh, Kouyou soon heard the water running from his bathroom, and made sure to put out some of his smaller, comfier clothes out for Yuu to change into after he was done. He then made his way downstairs and to the kitchen, preparing the kettle and water before taking out the tea he knew Yuu liked (he made sure to buy some beforehand, for emergencies like this). By the time it finished boiling, Kouyou heard the water shut off upstairs.

The president set Yuu's mug of tea off to the side just as Shiro came sauntering into the kitchen.

"Hey, buddy. How are you?" Kouyou walked over to his shiba and give it a pet only to have it duck and walk away from him, being difficult.

"What's up with you? Come here," Kouyou inquired with a raised eyebrow, kneeling on the floor to get level with his dog. Shiro wouldn't even look at him.

"Oh, I get it. You're mad at me for leaving you last night, is that it?" Kouyou crossed his arms and eyed his stubborn mutt. Still no response, and at that point Kouyou was rolling his eyes and walking to the fridge to grab the necessary ingredients for Yuu's breakfast. Would pancakes and eggs be okay? Probably. Yuu didn't seem too picky.

Kouyou made sure to grab extras, too, because he knew how much the younger boy could eat. He still didn't understand how, but he did...

Shiro's low growling filled the room just a few moments later, and Kouyou turned to see what he was growling at. Unsurprisingly, the shiba was growling at Yuu who was walking down the stairs groggily, looking less feverish since he'd taken a shower. As expected, the raven was wearing Kouyou's... pretty loose clothing, and Kouyou quickly averted his eyes from Yuu's exposed, pale and soft-looking shoulder, to Shiro, who Yuu avoided.

"Sorry, I still don't know why he acts this way around you," Kouyou apologized with a shrug of his shoulders, shooting the dog with a stern glare before it stalked away from the two boys. Yuu raised his eyebrow before looking at the dog, and then to the pancakes and eggs Kouyou had started preparing on the stove.

"It's alright. What are you making?" Yuu inquired as he made his way to stand beside the senior at the stove, his long sleeves flopping adorably as he walked.

"Pancakes and eggs, is that alright?" Kouyou could ignore the lingering awkwardness, but the atmosphere wasn't tense, for which he was thankful. Yuu was talking to him as if nothing had ever happened.

And the thought of that sent a pang to Kouyou's heart. As much as he didn't want Yuu hating him for the intimate moment they shared that morning (and the ones before they fell asleep, but Yuu didn't remember those... unfortunately), he felt uncomfortable with the thought of pretending that it never happened.

And the thought of  _ that  _ was enough to make Kouyou totally zone out, apparently, because the next thing he knew, Yuu was quickly walking over to remind him to flip the pancakes, so they wouldn't burn.

"Yes, as long as you don't burn them," Yuu sighed with a cheeky smile before spotting his tea in a mug on the counter nearby. "Is this mine?"

"It is. Go sit down at the table, I'll be with you in a minute." Kouyou kept his eyes on the food, making sure his gaze didn't inappropriately follow Yuu as the younger boy walked away after grabbing his hot beverage.

The whole situation felt so domestic and... perfect. Kouyou couldn't help but smile to himself as he finished up his cooking.

~

"Oh, Kouyou! This is really good, thank you." Yuu's compliment sent the corners of Kouyou's lips turning up into a full grin after he'd served Yuu and himself at the dinner table.

"I'm glad you think so. I take it you're feeling a little bit better?" The senior asked, taking a bite of his eggs.

"I do, thank you. My head hurts, but... I'll survive."

"Do you need medicine? A cold cloth? More tea?" Slightly frantic at Yuu's confession, Kouyou listed off possible remedies that could ease his pain, because Kouyou knew how bad a hangover could be and he couldn't believe how well Yuu had been managing so far.

"No, no. I'm okay," Yuu sent him a reassuring smile to pair with his words before he took another munch of his pancake, chewing it thoughtfully before he spoke again. "But thank you."

"Don't worry about it." Yuu's smile sent Kouyou's heart into some weird frenzy, infecting him like a drug, and he couldn't help but smile warmly as Yuu continued to eat, enjoying what Kouyou prepared.

And then Yuu's phone started to ring from upstairs.

"Shit, I'll be right back," Yuu cursed before running upstairs to answer the call, leaving Kouyou alone in at the dinner table.

Just like he was accustomed to.

~

"Um... it was my mom," Yuu admitted solemnly as he re-entered the dining area. "She... really wants me to come home now. She's worried..."

Just like that, Kouyou's morning had been shattered into pieces.

"I see." He forced a smile. "It's not an issue. Let me walk you home?"

Yuu returned his fake smile with a sad one. "I'd appreciate that."

~

The walk to Yuu's house had been quiet. Kouyou was usually talkative, but the odd atmosphere of the walk had him keeping his mouth shut. When he dropped Yuu off, Ms. Shiroyama had greeted him shortly before pulling Yuu inside without so much as another word.

Kouyou was left alone once more, as he turned to walk the lonely road back to his house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> decided to not end on a cliffhanger because i probably won't be able to get a new chapter up this week because school rip


	17. Chapter 17

Yutaka: hello bandmates! o(≧∇≦o)

Yutaka: how is everyone doing today ??

[Unknown Number]: yutaka you're literally right beside me

[Unknown Number]: and we're not even officially bandmates yet

Yutaka: i know (´ ∀ ` *)

[Unknown Number]: stop hugging me

[Unknown Number]: go away

Yutaka: but cousin, i missed u so much!!!!!

Yutaka: anyways...

Yutaka: we have an official band group chat now! how exciting ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ

Kouyou's phone buzzed violently with messages, distracting him from the guitar he was trying to play and the music he was trying to make. He chuckled at the texts, and quickly recognized the unknown number to be Takanori's. He added him into his contacts a few moments later.

Akira: Wtf no

Akira: My phone is gonna become a literal vibrator because of u guys

Yutaka: akira, how crude!! this chat is absolutely necessary!!!!!

Yuu: I don't think it's a bad idea :)

Kouyou: Me neither.

Akira: Fuck u kou

Kouyou was laughing aloud at the pixelated banter, setting down his guitar and migrating to lay on his bed. Shiro hopped up to join him, and Kouyou pet the shiba absentmindedly as he focused on the silly group chat.

Takanori: actually i gotta give it to you akira, way to get creative

Akira: Ew I was kidding

Akira: How did I get stuck with u weirdos

Yutaka: akira u love us! ANYWAYS

Yutaka: here we can discuss scheduling and the covers we might want to learn between practices (o˘◡˘o)

Yutaka: or if u guys just get lonely and want to chat ( ╥ω╥ )

Yuu: Thanks Yutaka, lol

Yutaka: it's my pleasure!! so how does another practice tomorrow sound for everyone ?

Kouyou: That sounds good to me.

Truthfully, Kouyou wanted another excuse to see Yuu. He felt like, asking Yuu outright to hang out, especially after his mom had reacted so oddly, wouldn't be the best idea.

Yuu had only been gone an hour and Kouyou missed his comforting presence.

Get it together, Kouyou.

God, he still didn't understand anything...

Takanori: i have no choice

Akira: Yea sure

The amount of time it took Yuu to respond sent Kouyou's body running hot as anxiety coursed through the inner workings of his system. Would Yuu really...?

Yuu: I'll be there ^^

Kouyou instantly breathed an exasperated sigh of relief as Yuu's name and message appeared on the screen. Yuu wasn't going to quit.

Yutaka: great! see all u guys tomorrow ♡

Kouyou clicked off his phone after the plans had been decided, but a sudden idea in his head kept him from putting his phone down. Instead, he opened it back up and went into the contacts app before hovering his thumb over his newest one.

Takanori...

Would he be able to... help Kouyou? Or at least understand him, if anything?

Because Kouyou's mind was constantly whirring with thoughts, and not having anybody to talk to about it was making it worse. He had to get this shit off of his chest, and Takanori seemed like the best option to vent to right now, despite not having known him for very long—the shorter blond didn’t seem malicious, despite what Kouyou knew about his presence in Yuu’s past.

His mind was made up and he was privately messaging Takanori a moment later.

Kouyou: Hey, Takanori. It's Kouyou.

Takanori: kouyou?

Kouyou: Yeah. This might seem weird, but

The senior trembled as he typed his next line.

Kouyou: I really need to talk to you.

Takanori: ok

Takanori: want to call? i'll go in my bedroom so yutaka won't hear

Kouyou: Please.

The measly minute after Kouyou sent his text felt like an eternity, and it was only until Shiro began to lick his fingers and bring him back to reality did he realize his body was shaking with nerves. Fuck, he shouldn't be so nervous, but he had so much on his mind he wasn't even sure what to begin with...

Takanori: ready

And then Kouyou's phone started ringing in his hand, making him jump. With a trembling hand, he answered as Takanori's name flashed on the screen. He took a deep breath before bringing the device up to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Kouyou."

The line went silent for a moment as Kouyou collected his thoughts, and he tried not to let his voice quiver as he spoke.

"Takanori... I don't... I don't know what to do. I don't understand."

"What don't you understand?" Takanori's voice was soft, gentle. It was understanding, and Kouyou already began to feel at ease, despite the fact that he had just met Takanori. It was just enough to allow Kouyou to let the next words escape his lips with little hesitation.

"How... did you find out you were gay?"

The sound of Takanori humming on the other end of the line at Kouyou's sudden, heavy question, staying silent for a few minutes as he pondered, had the senior’s breath still. However, Takanori expected the question; although the subject, whenever discussed seriously, never failed to convert the usually so confident and flamboyant Takanori into the shy, insecure, closeted boy he once was.

"I started questioning myself when I met this boy, years ago." The short blond paused, taking a breath and calming himself as Kouyou wanted patiently, anxiously, for him to keep going. "We met as young kids, but as we grew older, I started to realize that I was... somehow different from all of the other boys. They were interested in girls. I wasn't, and at the time, I didn't understand why or what it meant for me."

Takanori's explanation made Kouyou's heart twist when he came to the realization that his own situation wasn't very far off from Takanori's. Kouyou had never really been interested in girls like all of the other guys were, and never understood as to why he was that way.

"I ignored it for a long time. But when that boy, my best friend at the time..." Kouyou swore he heard Takanori's voice tremble. "When he came to me one day, and he told me something that I didn't know how to take, or how to handle, I... fuck."

"It's okay, Taka..." Kouyou understood that it was hard for Takanori to discuss such a heavy topic, but he didn't realize just how heavy it actually was for Takanori. He didn't understand his regret and his relief, his fear and his solace.

"Kouyou, that boy confessed his love to me." Takanori inhaled deeply while Kouyou held his breath at the newfound information. "At the time that he did, I was shy, and I was insecure. When that boy confessed to me, it opened up so many doors I didn't even know existed."

Kouyou's eyes were watering, now.

"And I was too scared to enter those doors, even though that boy unlocked everything that made sense for me. I was shocked and I was overwhelmed, and it wasn't until much later, after I'd thrown that boy to the curb in an attempt to save my own reputation, did I realize who I truly was. That I was never interested in girls because I liked boys instead. I liked _that_ boy, so much, but I didn't realize it. Not until I'd lost him."

Kouyou was crying, now.

"I was full of regret for such a long time, because he left. Even though he helped me realize this part of myself, even though the outcome of his confession helped me become the confident fashionista I am today... I still sometimes wonder what it would be like if I had let him stay. If we had explored this part of ourselves together."

Kouyou was speechless and letting his tears flow freely as he cuddled his shiba close and wet the pillow beneath his head with the emotions of his that were finally being recognized.

"But in the end, I think everything worked out the way it should have." Takanori had a smile in his voice, and it brought comfort to Kouyou. "Because eventually, I found him again. I found him surrounded by new people— _friends_ who adore him—and a boy who takes care of him better than I ever could. I can't bring myself to be jealous, because what they have is so, so perfect, Kouyou. Those two were made for each other."

When Takanori heard Kouyou's soft sobs on the other end of the line, he could feel tears filling his own eyes before he spoke again. "Don't make the same mistake I made, Kouyou. Please, for the love of god. Don't do what I did, okay?"

"Taka..."

"It's alright," Takanori hushed him, the quivering in Kouyou's voice making his heart hurt. He knew how difficult it was to come to terms with being gay, and he knew exactly what Kouyou was feeling right now. "Rest, and don't think too hard. Just text me or call me if you have any more questions, okay? I'm here. I understand." Even if Kouyou didn't, Takanori did. And he wanted to help Kouyou understand.

For his sake and for Yuu's, because Takanori still cared about Yuu dearly, but not in the romantic way he once did. He was happy just being friends with him again, seeing him grow strong after Takanori had kicked him down so hard. Yuu deserved Kouyou. He deserved the happy ending he didn't get from Takanori.

"Takanori... thank you. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, Kouyou."

And then the line went dead.

~

When Kouyou went to practice the next day, he found himself watching Yuu, studying him and his every moves and mannerisms as he played guitar so beautifully, so breathtakingly, Kouyou almost felt that, at times, it seemed like he and Yuu were the only two musicians in the garage. He felt connected to Yuu like he'd never felt connected to anyone before. He'd never seen someone who stole his breath away like Yuu did.

Kouyou didn't miss the knowing looks Takanori sent his way every now and then.

Practice quickly ended, much too soon for Kouyou's liking. If he could've stayed in that garage playing guitar with Yuu all day, he would've. He didn't have to worry about his shameless staring, or what the others were thinking of him. He didn't have to worry about Yuu rejecting him or pushing him away. And those times Yuu's eyes met Kouyou's as they played, Kouyou could feel his entire soul pour out into the music he was playing. He could feel his entire being belong to Yuu and the music they made.

Kouyou never wanted it to end.

But all too soon it did, and everyone was packing up to go home. To Kouyou's disappointment, Yuu had to be home early again for something after practice, and he couldn't invite the raven to spend time with him.

So he settled for the next best thing when an idea struck his mind.

"Akira, wanna come to my place for a bit?"

"Only if you've got beer."

Kouyou knew he wouldn't survive this meeting with Akira if he wasn't at least slightly intoxicated. "I've got more than you should probably drink."

"I'm in."

The best friends waved goodbye to Yutaka and Takanori before making their way to Kouyou's house, and Kouyou, once again, didn't miss the way Takanori slightly bowed his head and gave him a knowing look as if to say, "good luck".

The trip was pretty much silent, and Kouyou was uncomfortable. Akira had a look to him as though he knew something Kouyou didn't, which made the president squirm.

Or he knew what Kouyou was about to tell him, and he knew why Kouyou had invited him over.

Whichever it was, Kouyou sighed and avoided eye contact with his best friend, wishing they'd get to his house soon so he could get the talk over with, or wishing the walk would take forever so he wouldn't have to talk at all.

The pair eventually arrived at Kouyou's house, and Kouyou was quick to make a beeline to the kitchen to grab two beers for them to start with. He came back to find Akira sitting in the living room with a blank expression on his face, and the blond flinched slightly when Kouyou suddenly handed him a beer. Kouyou sat down on the opposite end of the couch, letting it envelop him as he silently prayed it would come alive and eat him. His hand trembled as he opened his can, taking a big gulp soon after and then staring at the floor.

Akira sensed his best friend's tension and remained silent. Despite his joker personality, he knew when to shut that off and be sympathetic, or a shoulder to cry on. And right now, Kouyou needed him more than anything.

Akira inhaled deeply when he realized Kouyou wasn't going to be the first one to speak.

"Kouyou, tell me what you need to tell me. It's okay."

A sigh escaped Kouyou's lips at he heard the compassionate voice of his best friend. He was anxious, and he was a mess. But Akira was there for him. He always was.

"Akira..." Kouyou finally spoke, his voice breaking as the reality came crashing down on him. He swallowed the sobs that were threatening to escape him. "Do you promise that, no matter what happens, you'll never stop being my best friend?"

"I promise, Kouyou. We've been friends for too long for me to drop you like that."

Kouyou swallowed another sob and held back his tears. "No matter who I fall in love with, you'll stay by my side?"

"Always."

"Akira..." Kouyou sighed deeply. He was so close. _So_ close to lifting the heaviest weight off of his shoulders he’d ever felt.

"Even if I was gay, you'd still be my best friend?"

"Of course I would, Kouyou."

And then Kouyou's tears finally spilled when Akira brought him in for the most reassuring bro-hug the two had shared in years.

~

Time was passing by painfully slowly for the raven as he stayed home all day, thoughts of Kouyou and everything that had happened lately in the forefront of his mind. He was grounded and didn’t have much to do, knowing that he had crossed some lines a few days ago and definitely deserved his punishment. He was thankful that his mother was understanding enough, despite her usual over protective self, not forcing him into missing the band’s second practice yesterday. But he missed Kouyou terribly and he was secretly suffering, not being able to spend time with his senior—during spring break, no less. Yuu still harboured so many questions and absolutely no answers, desperate for the the blond to inform him.

Or maybe he simply needed Kouyou’s company. The way Kouyou had been treating him lately made Yuu feel calm, and... special. The raven was starting to believe that maybe they _did_ have something special between them, and maybe… _just maybe_ , Takanori was right.

And as the thought of the little blond crossed Yuu’s mind, his phone vibrated on the table next to him.

Yuu quickly grabbed it, hoping that he would see a certain someone’s name popping up on the display, but seeing it to be Takanori’s name instead saddened the teen instantly.

Takanori: hey yuu, yutaka and i thought of grabbing something to eat at a restaurant near your place. wanna join?

Seeing the invitation, Yuu’s mood lifted and he felt warm inside, but that feeling left as quick as the blink of an eye. He was still in the middle of his punishment and it wasn’t to end until they were back to school and spring break was over.

Yuu: I’m grounded. I can’t go out, but you two have fun

Takanori: ms. shiroyama is still unshakable, i see. what did you do this time?

Yuu snorted and chuckled. Takanori was still his usual self, after all, and the raven felt strangely content with the way they spoke right now. It almost felt sentimental, and without the usual heartbreak that tormented his heart. Despite the fury he had endured on the balcony a few days ago as Takanori delivered his apology, Yuu now found himself to be much calmer, the intimidation he felt towards Takanori almost nonexistent.

Yuu was alright.

Yuu: I didn’t come home after our first practice. She was worried and upset

Takanori: well, not surprised that kouyou didn’t bring you home... you were totally wasted and out of control lol

And then Yuu’s breath hitched, the boy sensing something hidden in between the lines of Takanori’s reply.

Yuu: What do you mean, ‘out of control’?

Takanori: ...what do you remember from that night?

Yuu: Nothing, honestly

Yuu: Takanori, please tell me

Yuu: What did I do?

Yuu stared at the phone screen as the seconds passed, but Takanori wasn’t answering.

The teen was growing impatient, feeling feverish after realizing that something was definitely off. He had his suspicions, but he didn’t dare to delve into the matter more than he had to, because he was also scared of the possibilities. Maybe he did something stupid, like… hugging? Touching Kouyou?...

His mind began to swirl, causing him to feel dizzy, and the boy left his phone on the table before quickly making his way to the kitchen to grab a snack. He was panicking again, and he knew food always proved to be the best cure for it in the past.

After grabbing some cookies from the shelf filled with life saviors of the same kind, Yuu returned to the living room hoping that Takanori would have answered by now, but what he found in there was what he least expected to see.

His mother was standing beside the table, holding his phone in a shaky hand while her eyes scanned through the display with a terrified expression.

Yuu’s heart stopped and his whole body froze as he felt paralyzed by his own shock and fear.

This wasn’t happening.

It just couldn’t.

Not now.

“What is this?” His mother cried out, lifting her gaze and looking at him with watering eyes.

Yuu then reacted instinctively as he walked closer to the woman, throwing the box of cookies on the table and quickly snatching his phone from her grip. He stepped back with his fingers clenching tightly around the device, causing the raven pain as his knuckles turned white.

“It’s personal,” he whispered, his eyes turning just as glossy as his mother’s.

“How did he find you?” She disregarded his words without a thought and went straight to the reason for her current panic. He swore he’d never seen her like this before; not even after his best friend’s betrayal.

“How did Takanori find you, Yuu? Why are you talking to him?”

“Mom…” Yuu was trembling as he tried to speak. “He apologized to me. He’s different now. He didn’t tell anyone about me, I swear.”

“How do you know?” The woman raised her voice, and Yuu was rendered speechless. _“And_ you kissed Kouyou, on top of that! How could you do this, Yuu? After you promised me so many things before we moved here? I trusted you to be careful, but you ruined us again!”

“Wait, what?” At last, Yuu found strength within himself and raised his voice as well, the woman’s words snapping him out of his stupor. “I… _kissed Kouyou?!”_

 _“And you don’t even remember!_ Takanori saw you, Yuu!”

The raven quickly searched for Takanori’s messages and his whole body quivered as he finally read the words for himself.

_Takanori: yuu_

_Takanori: you kissed kouyou._

“He… he might be lying…” Yuu cried, overwhelmed by all of the pain stressing his mind and his body. “I don’t remember… Kouyou didn’t say anything... Maybe it never happened—”

“Maybe, Yuu! Maybe!” His mother repeated, making a point that served as another stab to Yuu’s naive, in-love-heart. “Do you remember what happened last time? Do you remember how they treated us? What if they’re just playing with you, Yuu, and all hell falls upon you as soon as you get back to school?!”

 _“Stop.”_ He finally snapped at his mother as the first tears trailed their way down his face. “Kouyou isn’t like that. He would never do such a thing.” His voice was low yet spoke loud in the the tense silence of the room, his mother staring back at him speechlessly. “I know him. He would never hurt me.”

“The last time I heard you say those words… do you remember what happened then?”

“Mom, _please...”_ Yuu tried to beg, sensing that she was already losing it; but when she finally spoke his most heartbreaking fears aloud, the boy was wrecked beyond repair.

“We should move.”

“No.”

“I won’t wait for the storm this time. I’ll look for some quiet prefecture, some place where we’ll finally be safe.” Her eyes were downcast, and Yuu was able to sense a pain in her voice, similar to his own. “And we’ll leave before the spring break ends.”

“Mom—” His voice was breaking, and the woman didn’t let him finish.

“I won’t let them hurt you again. I love you too much to let it happen.” The woman’s voice was stern, determination dripping from every word she spoke. It left Yuu speechless as she stormed out of the room, leaving her son alone with himself, only to turn into a sobbing mess as the realization hit him a second later.

Yuu was in a distress so great he felt sick; his heart about to shatter as though it were made of glass. He couldn’t understand how he had allowed this to happen, but it _happened,_ and there was no going back. Guilt wrecked his mind as he finally understood how tall the walls of this trap had grown, without him even noticing in the first place. He really grew to love the blond that much, and completely submitted to the ties which now bound him tightly to Kouyou.

And then Yuu hugged himself and cried out to nobody, finally admitting the truth he tried so desperately to avoid; he was losing his mind over Kouyou. He was losing his heart and his soul, and he was slowly losing himself completely. And he knew that he would break under the pressure, left unable to be repaired if he distanced himself from the person he grew to love so deeply. He _couldn’t_ be separated from Kouyou. Not now.

Yuu suddenly snapped out of his daze and, despite being a sobbing mess, he searched for his mother frantically, only to find her sitting in her room a minute later, looking just as destroyed as she did moments ago.

But Yuu didn’t let it alter his decision of standing up for himself and his feelings as he cried out softly to her. “I’m not going with you.”

“Yuu, don’t be stubborn. We’ll be okay, but you have to listen to me. You’ll learn how to hide better this time—they’ll never find out. It’ll get easier with time.” She was angry, but Yuu didn’t give in; nor did he move from the door frame as his fingers clutched it tight, seeking any kind of support for the words that were about to leave his mouth.

“Are you telling me that I’m not allowed to be myself, _ever?”_ He cried, the tears rolling down to his neck, wetting his shirt. “That no one will ever love me the way I am?”

“I love you the way you are.”

“No. You know _exactly_ what I mean.” Yuu was desperate as his voice rose again, the boy feeling vulnerable and so, _so_ broken. He used to feel guilty whenever those thoughts crossed his mind, but he didn’t care anymore. Even if she was right and there truly was no place for someone like him, he couldn’t keep running away forever. He couldn’t allow himself to go through the same turmoil of falling in love with another person only to have his hopes crushed again and _again…_ Although, Yuu doubted he would ever love someone as strongly as he loved Kouyou.

“If I…” Yuu’s voice was now breaking uncontrollably, the choking sobs making it hard to speak, but he knew he had only one thing left to try and pacify the woman with. A compromise. “If I leave the band, and end my friendship with Kouyou… can we stay?”

“What about Takanori?”

“I… I’ll block him. I’ll cut him off.” He went with the first option that came to his mind before going silent as he patiently waited for his mother’s final judgement.

She was stubborn, just like her son—but Yuu knew she loved him dearly, and understood him despite how different their they were in the end.

“Alright.”

And then Yuu’s whole, newly built-up-world crumbled to pieces.

~

Deadly silence filled the room as Yuu laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling with empty eyes. He felt crushed, his body completely limp; only his hands moving gently as to caress the kitten on his stomach. Kiko hadn't left him once since he came back into his room, snuggling and cuddling as she tried to bring comfort to the broken boy. She was nothing but loving and caring towards her human as the hours rolled by and Yuu’s sobs finally calmed down, the tears in his eyes drying and clearing his vision.

His cheeks were still damp and slightly tinted from all of the crying, but Yuu felt better after letting it all out. He hated crying and hadn’t done much of it in the past, but he found it to be a great release once his body couldn’t tame or handle the wild feelings which rocked his soul.

He was numb, and he wondered if he was numb enough to finally let go of his hopes and feelings for a certain blond president whom he missed dearly right now.

He missed the comfort that Kouyou brought him, and he missed the way he used to feel around him.

But it had to end, and there was no one to blame for it but himself.

Maybe it was better this way, after all—maybe Yuu was about to spare a catastrophe from happening to the both of them. Kouyou was the president of the council, and he seemed to be part of a family with quite the high status in the society here. Yuu could only imagine what would happen if he ever revealed to have feelings for Kouyou; the way they could damage the blond’s image made the raven tremble with fear.

He knew he couldn’t let that happen to someone he loved so much. Yuu would rather sacrifice himself instead.

The boy also knew he would never be able to face Kouyou and tell him the words he had to. Even thinking about it was painful as his eyes teared up again and Kiko shifted on his stomach nervously, probably sensing the change in the raven’s state.

But he promised his mother he would do it today, and as the evening was about to fall upon them, he knew he was running out of time. He couldn’t delay it anymore, as he knew that no matter how much he waited, his heart would never grow strong enough to face the consequences without breaking.

It was nearing six in the evening when Yuu finally rose up into a sitting position, Kiko meowing as she rolled on the sheets and nipped his hand. She kept trying to coax him into some cute play, but Yuu couldn’t bring himself to do anything.

He sighed and took out his phone then, opening the message app and entering the group chat only to hit the “leave” button a second later. He couldn’t force himself to come up with any explanation nor did he dare to leave a word before breaking his bond with the boys forever. It was hurting him, yes— _destroying_ him, in fact, and they might despise him him or look for him to demand an explanation, but he had to be strong. He was a terrible liar and he couldn’t tell them the truth, so it was definitely a lot better to seperate like this; better hate him for leaving them instead of something else—something much worse.

He wished he could be like Takanori and be fearless, showcasing all of his true colours to the world without the fear of rejection, but his past was a constant reminder of how cruel people could be... his feelings always caused collateral damage to the people who meant the most to him. He couldn’t risk anything as his mother’s happiness depended on him; he had to take care of her, too.

Maybe Kouyou would understand one day, but for now, Yuu had to break it off between them for good.

He quickly opened the chat he had with Kouyou and his hands began to tremble as he typed his message to the blond. His breathing quickened, becoming erratic with every word that appeared on the display, and Yuu’s eyes filled with tears as he realized the intensity of the destruction he was about to bring upon himself.

He hesitated for a moment or two before gathering up the necessary courage and sending the message. Throwing his phone to the side and pulling the covers of his bed over himself, Yuu completely ignored the worried kitten who tried to nip at his hand again. Yuu closed his eyes as soon as the tears spilled from them, crying to the soft buzzing sounds of his phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lots of feels in this one :'( let us join hands and cry together


	18. Chapter 18

Akira had left a little bit later after he and Kouyou downed a couple more beers, but after how well their talk had gone, Kouyou didn't feel the need to intoxicate himself to the point of even feeling beyond a little bit tipsy. A gargantuan weight was lifted off of his shoulders in just two days; after hearing Takanori's story, which helped Kouyou understand and come to terms with himself, and then coming out to Akira, his best friend. Kouyou knew who he was, and the lingering confusion that ate at him for days upon days was no longer there.

Kouyou liked boys, and he loved Shiroyama Yuu.

The last step was to tell Yuu how he felt, and he knew exactly how to do so. Of course, he was nervous, and didn't want to jump into anything too soon, however... Takanori's words resonated deep within him, and how the short blond had lost the boy he loved before he even realized his feelings. Kouyou didn't want that. He was already one step ahead of the game, because he knew about his feelings, and Yuu hadn't been lost. Kouyou had a chance to make something... more, happen with Yuu. He didn't care what the consequences were; he wanted Yuu, now that he understood. Now that Kouyou knew, and he'd gotten so close to Yuu.

But he prayed to every creator out there that Yuu, even if he didn't feel the same way about Kouyou, wouldn't kick Kouyou to the curb like Takanori had done to the boy that confessed to him. Kouyou could (maybe, probably not) deal with the heartache of rejection, could deal with the heartbreak as long as Yuu remained his friend.

Because Yuu was Kouyou's world, and without him, there was nothing for Kouyou. He was undeniably lovesick and head-over-heels in love with Yuu, and although it would hurt to see him everyday as merely a friend, it would be better than not having him at all.

But the thought in the back of Kouyou's mind, telling him that there was a possibility of Yuu rejecting him so harshly he wouldn't want anything to do with Kouyou, was stopping the blond from jumping the gun and making a decision to tell Yuu yet.

_What if Yuu’s not even gay?_

It was a tough situation.

~

After Akira left, Kouyou lounged about on the couch with Shiro, deciding to watch some dumb movie to keep his mind off of a certain raven-haired boy whom Kouyou was dying to see, but knew better than to message him right now. His mother seemed pretty protective, even angry, the morning that Yuu had awoken hungover. And then the next day after practice, when Kouyou talked with Akira, Yuu had been called home as soon as practice was done. Kouyou figured that whatever was going on with Yuu and his mother right now still hadn't come to a close, but he knew better than to interfere, although he couldn't help but be curious.

The buzzing of his phone on the coffee table startled him out of his thoughts, and he was delighted to see Yuu's name and the group chat name (which Yutaka had taken upon himself to title "band buddies ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ♪") flash on his screen.

He was devastated to read the reason for both names to pop up on his screen.

_Yuu has left the group chat._

No, why would Yuu...? So suddenly, when Kouyou thought he was in the band for good? Why hadn't he told any of them first?

Kouyou was quickly tapping into his private conversation with Yuu to ask him what this was about, but Yuu had beat him, sending him a message first.

Kouyou was covering his mouth as he gasped audibly into his hand, sucking in a large breath before he felt Shiro nuzzle his arm.

Kouyou didn't understand. He never did. What was going on?

He couldn't believe his eyes as he read the pixelated words. He didn't want to believe them. He wanted to believe he was dreaming.

Because, so soon after Kouyou had discovered his orientation and unveiled his feelings towards Yuu, Yuu was... saying he couldn’t be his friend anymore, and that he'd give back the black ESP Kouyou had gifted him? All without an explanation?

Kouyou: Yuu

Kouyou: Tell me why you're doing this

Yuu: I can't

Kouyou: You can

Yuu: Kouyou I can't

Kouyou: I'm coming over

Kouyou: You can't do this Yuu

Kouyou: Please, let's just talk about this

When Yuu didn't respond, Kouyou was grabbing his jacket, slipping on his shoes and sprinting out of the door.

This couldn't be happening. Not now.

~

Ms. Shiroyama wasn't surprised to see Kouyou at her door.

"Kouyou, I'm sorry, but if you're here to see Yuu, he's grounded." Her tone was stern yet her gaze was sad.

"I'm sorry Ms. Shiroyama, but this is an emergency. I really need to speak with Yuu. I won't be long." Kouyou was desperate. He was anxious and he was afraid.

Ms. Shiroyama didn't have the energy to argue. She stood aside at the door and allowed Kouyou entrance into her home, although reluctantly, and Kouyou was bowing his head in immense thanks.

~

"Yuu."

Kouyou didn't bother knocking. He burst into the raven's room unannounced to find him curled up on his bed with his kitten, Yuu's pretty, pale face puffy and blotchy, tear stains running down his cheeks. He didn't do anything but let out a convulsing sob when Kouyou entered, and Kouyou's protective instincts were forcing him to rush to Yuu's side as Kiko hopped off the bed to allow Kouyou access to her owner.

The president kneeled on the floor beside Yuu's bed, his anger sparked by confusion towards the situation gone as he watched Yuu bury his face into his pillow and cry harder than Kouyou had ever seen anybody cry before. His heart shattered, seeing his raven like that, and his instincts told him to reach out his hand to play with the dark strands of Yuu's hair, brushing them out of his face, and then running his thumb across the tear stains on Yuu's soft cheeks, swiping his sadness away.

"Yuu..." Kouyou's voice was gentle, and soft. He didn't want to upset Yuu any further. "Yuu, won't you please tell me what's going on? Seeing you like this hurts me so much, you don't even know. Please, Yuu." The senior continued to thumb the tears that continued to flow off of Yuu's cheek.

The pair stayed there for a while. Yuu sobbed and he hyperventilated, Kouyou played with his hair and cleaned his face with his thumb until the raven calmed down. But he didn't calm down, and before long, Kouyou couldn't help but to sit on the bed with Yuu and pull the crying boy into his arms, hugging him close and allowing Yuu to choke out sobs into his shirt. Kouyou didn't anticipate that the next time he would have Yuu in his arms would be when the raven was having a breakdown.

Yuu was a mess, and Kouyou had never felt so broken. It was clear that the decision to unfriend Kouyou wasn't Yuu's own, and that he'd been forced to do so against his will.

"Shh, Yuu. It's okay, shh..." Kouyou rocked back and forth as he wrapped his arms around Yuu's back, holding him tightly, because Kouyou was worried that if he didn't, Yuu was going to crumble and fall apart, much like Kouyou's heart was doing.

But Kouyou had to stay strong. For Yuu.

"Kouyou, I—I don't want... I don't... Kouyou..." Yuu choked out an incoherent sentence between his sobs, clinging onto Kouyou's shirt for dear life. "I'm s-so sorr...y."

"Yuu..."

"I d-didn't decide th-this... I can't..." Kouyou's shirt was wet with Yuu's slobber and tears, but he didn't care. He rubbed Yuu's back before pulling away from the crying boy, just enough so he could look into Yuu's red, watering ones. The senior sighed sadly at Yuu's trembling lip.

"Won't you just tell me what's going on, Yuu? Please?"

"S-she doesn't want m-me to b-be y-your... your friend a-anymore..." Yuu was finally capable of constructing coherent sentences, although he spoke with a stutter between sobs. His eyes had expelled their last tears and Kouyou could see how exhausted Yuu looked, and the raven had a hard time catching his breath.

"Breathe, Yuu. Come on, just breathe—that's right, just like that," Kouyou hushed, rubbing Yuu's back with his large hand comfortingly. He was relieved to feel Yuu's breathing pattern slow down and fall into a more regular rhythm. "Who doesn't want you to be my friend, Yuu?"

"Mom... s-she... is scared, Kouyou... she wants to... p-protect me..."

 _Protect Yuu...?_ "From... me?"

When Yuu nodded, Kouyou felt as though he didn't even have a heart anymore. It had broken to the point of no return.

"Why is she...? I would never hurt you, Yuu." Kouyou pulled Yuu back against his chest protectively, and Yuu didn't fight back.

"S-she's... she doesn't want... what happened at my old school to... happen again. She... s-still doesn't trust... Takanor-ri..."

 _Takanori?_  "What does Takanori have to do with this?"

"C-can't tell you."

Kouyou sighed, figuring it was useless to try and get Yuu to tell him anything more. The senior at least now knew why Yuu had sent that text and left the group chat, and although he knew there was a deeper meaning and he was deathly curious, it wasn't right for him to keep asking Yuu. Not when he was in a state like this.

And then an idea struck him.

"Yuu." Kouyou's voice trembled slightly as he spoke. "If... if there's no way of getting you out of this, can we... at least play that make-up round of Mario Kart?"

Yuu chuckled sadly in his hold, and nodded.

Kouyou didn't tell Yuu what they were playing for, but he had to make sure he won their match for his plan to work.

…

And he did.

Kouyou won his first round of Mario Kart against Yuu.

"I... don't have chocolate to give you." Yuu's face was still red and splotchy, but he had stopped crying, and even laughed during their game. The sound of it patched up Kouyou's broken heart, and it was then, he realized, that he loved Yuu with his entire being.

"I don't want chocolate, Yuu."

"Then what..."

When Kouyou moved closer to Yuu, coming to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with him on the floor, the raven's words trailed off as Kouyou gently took hold of Yuu's chin in his fingertips. Kouyou's eyes drifted to the other boy's slightly parted, beautifully full lips, before meeting his adorable, confused eyes. Kouyou's heart sped up a million times as he could feel Yuu's sweet, alcohol-free breath against his own lips.

"I want to tell you something, Yuu," Kouyou breathed, his voice low as his half-lidded eyes bore into Yuu's. He could feel the little raven tremble under his touch. "And I want to feel your lips and taste your breath without the scent of alcohol on them. I want to feel and taste _you."_ Kouyou was leaning in, and so was Yuu.

"That's what I want instead of chocolate."

And then, for what felt like the first time, Kouyou and Yuu's lips met in a timid kiss. The softness of Kouyou’s lips felt heavenly against Yuu’s, so gentle and so kind, turning the raven’s world upside down with their perfection. Those lips fit against his own like they were meant to be, and Yuu was frozen in shock as the realization of the blond’s words had finally dawned on him.

Kouyou... kissed him.

Kouyou had been the first to lean in and coax the broken boy into the most intimate moment of his life.

Just moments before, Yuu had given up; throwing all of his hopes to the bin as he tried to accept a reality without Kouyou, but now… having the blond look for him and fight for him, not accepting a reality without Yuu… it had the raven’s heart patching itself back up and regaining its erratic beating. He had never been kissed with such care before, never been taken care of like this.

And then Yuu fully understood what all of this meant, Kouyou’s lips moving slowly against his own, reminding him of their sweet lock. Their lips remained connected with one other and Yuu slowly kissed the blond back, answering his gentle ministrations for the first time.

Yuu’s love and his soul were blossoming again, and it was then the boy felt a new tear roll down his cheek. He finally pulled away, gazing straight into Kouyou’s mesmerizing orbs, and Yuu’s thoughts were in chaos, the adrenaline overwhelming as the boy took a breath, tasting Kouyou’s sweet scent, not breaking their eye contact even for a second.

The raven didn’t understand; he was scared, confused, excited, sad and happy, all at the same time and so, _so_ in love—but in the end, it all felt like home.

Yuu felt like he was dreaming, because life had never been on his side before and he couldn’t think of anything that would make him worthy of such happiness right now.

“What are you...” he whispered, still sure if he was supposed to speak at all. “Are you… sure, Kou?”

And then Kouyou smirked, causing Yuu to feel the familiar heat of a blush rising to his cheeks, which made his skin paint itself in the most bright shade of rosy pink.

The blond didn’t respond, and Yuu almost broke down again as he felt submerged and like he were almost drowning in his unconditional love for this boy.

Yuu leaned in a second later, his emotions controlling his actions, and he kissed Kouyou willingly and knowingly this time. He felt his senior’s fingers moving slowly to the back of his neck, tangling in the locks of his hair before pulling him closer into their kiss and Kouyou’s lips moved harshly, parting before a tongue softly brushed at Yuu’s lips.

The raven felt intoxicated like never before and he enjoyed the touch, his skin setting ablaze, lips parting as well.

He was feeling short of breath soon after and Yuu gasped, only to have his senior’s tongue pushing its way inside of his mouth, exploring it a second later.

Yuu was taken by surprise, the sensation completely new to him, and he squirmed softly as he let Kouyou’s tongue caress the sides of his own, tickling it with care. The blond’s taste was sweet with slight traces of mint, and Yuu didn’t fight, instead letting his senior dominate his mouth completely.

It took a mere couple of seconds before Yuu began suffocate and a soft sound made its way through their kiss, reminding Kouyou that the raven was not as experienced as the senior and needed a dose of air.

They pulled away and Yuu gasped again, not sure what was stealing his breath away the most amongst all that was happening.

He searched for answers as soon as his eyes fell on Kouyou’s and remained silent, unable to react to what was happening between them both, Kouyou’s hand still holding him close, not letting the gap between their faces grow more than just a few inches.

“You… you answered my kiss,” Kouyou whispered, his hand moving to Yuu’s cheek and caressing it, wiping the new traces of tears with his thumbs.

“Of course I did,” Yuu whispered in return, his whole body trembling.

The smile on Kouyou’s face was beautiful, filling the raven’s heart with more love and happiness than he could bear. He kept trembling and the blond noticed it quickly, wrapping his arms around the raven and pulled him closer into a gentle embrace. Yuu simply enjoyed the warmth he loved so much before his eyes turned watery again.

“I… I have to talk with mom.”

“Later,” Kouyou said with a sigh, one of his hands traveling up Yuu’s back and tangling in the black hair cascading down Yuu’s shoulder blades.

“You have no idea… how much I dreamt of this,” he raven cried out, burying his face into Kouyou’s chest and seeking even more of his comfort. They didn’t speak anymore as they held each other, enjoying their intimacy and newfound bond, relishing in each other’s warmth. The silence that surrounded them served as a soothing touch to the pain in Yuu’s body and the exhaustion soon engulfed him as he rested in his bed a moment later, Kouyou’s hands caressing his hair gently, coaxing him into a slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT HAPPENED


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feels city

After shutting Yuu’s bedroom door, giving one last glance at the raven-haired boy who was napping contentedly with a soft snore, Kouyou reluctantly made his way out to the kitchen. Before getting out of bed, Kouyou had snuck a quick peck to Yuu’s cute, button nose, careful as to not stir him awake, but to say… _ mine, now, _ because after having Yuu cuddled up in the senior’s embrace, the feeling was something Kouyou knew he couldn’t shake, couldn’t rid himself of. He wanted Yuu to be  _ his. _

Upon entrance, the teen noticed a figure standing at the sink, and quickly realized it to be Yuu’s mother.

“Ms. Shiroyama?” He spoke softly, watching as she scrubbed a plate vigorously. A pile had built up in the sink, and Kouyou was quick to believe that, considering the day’s events, nobody had gotten to doing the routinely chore—but the stack was large, and the blond found himself frowning as the tired-looking woman worked away at cleaning the dishes. “Do you need help?”

“Kouyou!” The sound of the boy’s voice had frightened Ms. Shiroyama, and she nearly dropped the plate in her grip upon the realization of an intruder. She calmed down after glancing over her shoulder, coming to the relief that it was none other than her son’s infatuation. “Dear, you startled me…”

“I’m sorry,” Kouyou murmured, stepping forward to take a bowl from the pile. He glanced up, taking note of her features which were those of someone exhausted. The boy couldn’t blame her; Kouyou’s sudden visit must have been quite the situation for her, especially if what Yuu had told him had been true; that the woman didn’t want the boys to be friends anymore, for a reason Kouyou did not yet know. To protect him, but why? “Ms… did I do something wrong?”

Taking a reluctant step back to allow the blond boy near the sink to aid in the chore, Ms. Shiroyama threw a glance at him, her eyebrow raised in what Kouyou recognized to be confusion. “Something wrong? No, no, you’ve done nothing. Why would you think that?”

With a shrug, the senior frowned and averted his gaze, the sudsy sponge in his hand and bowl in his other becoming a focal point of interest. His voice went quiet, yet dark as he spoke his next sentence, “you must dislike me, then.” Scrubbing harder, Kouyou took in a deep breath before gaining the courage to speak again. “I must have done  _ something  _ to make you not want Yuu around me anymore. To seperate us. To break the friendship we’ve built…”

“Dear…”

“Miss, you can’t do that to us. Please, don't. Not without at least telling me why. I don’t know anything. Yuu won’t tell me. You won’t tell me. I just want to know what I’ve done that’s so bad,” Kouyou whispered, his words rushed at first but soft at the end, emotions welling up inside of him as he opened up to the caring woman he was thankful to have met; the caring woman who was the mother of the boy he loved. “I can’t handle losing him…”

“Kouyou, you… you wouldn’t understand—”

“What isn’t there to understand?” Kouyou blurted, interrupting the woman and immediately regretting his rudeness, but couldn’t bring himself to care at that moment. “Miss, these past few months have been the most confusing time of my entire life. If I figured that out, I think I can handle the truth behind why  _ the boy I like’s mother _ wants to take him away from me.”

The sudden confession drawn by Kouyou had Ms. Shiroyama nearly gasping, thanking the gods that she wasn’t holding a plate or else it would’ve been dropped and broken into shards. To tell the truth, she’d had an inkling that what Kouyou felt for her son was more than just the feelings of friendship, but admitting it to herself was something she couldn’t do. And now, to hear it out in the open—well, what more could she do?

“Oh, dear,” she said, her voice soft as she raised a hand to Kouyou’s tense shoulder. He relaxed at the touch, finding comfort in the sudden motherly tenderness that he’d always longed for. “I’m a mother. I can’t help but worry about my son. Especially after…” she trailed off, shaking her head, and Kouyou glanced at her as if to urge her on, but the sheer pain in her glossy eyes was too much for him to bear. “I want the best for Yuu—”

“But I… he… I think he likes me back,” the senior confessed, trying to reason with her. Ms. Shiroyama didn’t have the heart to argue. “How can you think that the best thing for him would be to separate us? When I want to be by his side... I… that I don’t understand…”

“You don’t have to, Kouyou,” the woman whispered again, a sad smile coming to her lips as she rubbed the teenager’s back.  Kouyou didn’t have the heart to argue anymore, either. Not after the strength it took to confess, again. And when Yuu’s mother was sighing and pulling Kouyou into her arms, the boy couldn’t do anything but hold back his own tears as he was enveloped in the love only a mother could give, a love he had wanted for so long.

~

Yuu’s eyes opened slowly, his vision blurred, but clearing a second later as he managed to scan his surroundings. He was still in his room, Kiko curled up beside him, and the stillness filling the space around him felt dreadful.

And then he remembered all that had happened before he drifted into rest, the skin on his lips burning as the memories of a certain kiss flooded his mind and his senses.

Yuu rose up to a sitting position on his bed, the sudden movement waking the kitten beside him as he frantically searched for Kouyou with worried eyes.

But Kouyou was gone.

He wasn’t in Yuu’s room.

Yuu’s breathing quickened and he stood up from the bed a second later, exiting his room in a flash of panic, searching for the blond boy that he desperately needed right now. It couldn’t have been a dream, right? Kouyou had to be somewhere here...

As he entered the kitchen, Yuu finally caught sight of his senior and all of his nerves calmed down, relief easing his heart. 

Kouyou was here, and he hadn’t run away. The thought brought a small smile on Yuu’s face, because Kouyou would never do that. Kouyou would never hurt him like that, and Yuu found that he trusted the senior in his entirety.

As seconds passed, Yuu realized what Kouyou was doing, his back still facing him as the water of the sink kept running, scrubbing sounds reaching Yuu’s ears.

Kouyou was… washing the dishes?

“What are you doing?” Yuu asked with a faint voice and his senior flinched, turning around with astonishment splattered on his face.

It all happened quick and Kouyou couldn’t even react as the plate he was holding slipped through his fingers and made contact with the bottom of the sink, producing a loud screeching noise.

“Oh, fuck,” he cursed, his attention back on the sink in front of him and Yuu walked closer, worry written all over his features. He calmed down immediately as soon as he saw nothing was broken and Kouyou didn’t hurt himself. 

“Why are you doing the dishes? Where’s mom?” Yuu was still sleepy, his voice slurring and sounding even more tired than he actually felt.

“She looked troubled, so I told her to rest,” Kouyou quickly explained and smiled at Yuu with an unfamiliar smile—one that the raven have never seen before, but it made his face flare up in a new way as well. “I thought it would be nice for me to help.”

“L-let me finish it,” Yuu stuttered as he leaned closer, their hips touching, but Kouyou didn’t budge from his position at the sink. The president simply smiled wider and, without warning, left a quick peck on Yuu’s lips a second later, taking the raven by surprise.

Yuu froze like a statue in his place and watched, stunned in awe as Kouyou returned to the washing he was doing—and it warmed the boy in various ways so unfamiliar to him, he didn’t even realize he had spaced out a little bit longer than usual.

Kouyou looked at him with a mischievous smile on his stupid,  _ gorgeous  _ face.

“You’re tomato red again.”

The blond’s cheekiness was back and Yuu quickly looked away, his hair a curtain for his face, hiding his embarrassed blush from the senior’s eyes.

The situation felt almost like a dream come true, and the younger boy wondered if he would ever be able to get used to it. He still couldn’t believe what was happening between them, and he was scared—to the core of his bones—of what it all meant, and what their future would be like from now on.

“You’re awake.” His mother appeared at the door frame, her words making Yuu flinch. “Are you feeling better?” She asked and walked closer towards her son, who glared at her with furious eyes. The woman felt intimidated almost immediately and stopped a meter away from the raven, her eyes quickly watering. She looked… guilty, and Yuu wondered if she knew what had happened between him and Kouyou. If she knew about her mistakes and was feeling sorry about everything now, including reading his messages without permission.

“I am.” His voice was softer, yet still angry as he averted his eyes, unable to stare at her broken form for long. “Mom, can we… talk for a bit?” He asked hesitantly, his heart going wild within his chest as certain matters spun in his head well aware they couldn’t wait until tomorrow to be discussed.

“It’s late, Yuu,” she retorted, her lips curving slightly. “Don’t worry, we will talk, but I don’t want you to worry, I…” She sighed, and Yuu felt the sudden tension in the room growing thicker. ”Please don’t be like this. You know my biggest concern is your wellbeing; I’d never do anything to hurt you intentionally, dear. Please don’t be mad at me.”

“Mad at you for what? That you read my messages?” He snapped unintentionally and, even though he felt guilty for it, he couldn’t tame that part of his anger just yet. It burned, and it hurt him deeply, despite what she said. “Or that you wanted to leave town—”

Interrupted by a sudden screeching and shattering sound piercing the raven’s ears, he quickly turned to Kouyou who had just dropped another plate in the sink. It had broken this time, and Yuu was quick to grab the senior’s hands, pulling them away from the sharp pieces.

“Kouyou, no, you’re gonna hurt yourself,” Yuu said softly, but soon saw the blood dripping from a small cut across Kouyou’s hand.  _ Too late. _

“Out of my kitchen, boys. Yuu, take care of Kouyou in your room.”

“But Ms. Shiroya—!” The blond was quick to protest, but was cut off by Yuu who pushed him away from the sink and then grabbed at his wrist, pulling him out of the kitchen and towards his room.

As they entered Yuu’s room, the raven looked for something to disinfect Kouyou’s wound and patch it up. He finally found what he was looking for and he pushed Kouyou down onto his bed, making him sit. Yuu then focused on cleaning the wound and noticed how silent Kouyou had been. The president wasn’t talking or asking questions, despite the details Yuu had revealed accidentally in his anger; judging by the way Kouyou reacted then, Yuu could only imagine what was spinning in his blond head right now.

“Yuu…” he whispered, startling the raven. ”She wanted to leave the city too?”

“I… didn’t want to, so I offered to break our friendship instead.”

“Why?” Kouyou sounded so…  _ broken, _ now, and when Yuu looked at him, his heart broke just as much. ”Yuu, I don’t understand anything. Please tell me what’s going on. Why did she want to move away and leave this city?” Kouyou’s voice was trembling, and Yuu couldn’t believe how the senior stressed and was nearly hyperventilating over the matter. It saddened Yuu, but at the same time made him happy, realizing how much he meant to the blond.

He owed the truth to Kouyou—especially after everything they been through.

Yuu took a breath, gathering the courage to spill what was necessary. “She was afraid that what happened at my old school would happen again since… she found out that I kissed you… while I was drunk few days ago. Which reminds me,” he glared at Kouyou then, making him flinch. “Why didn’t you tell me I kissed you? Why did you hide that from me?”

“I was afraid, because I liked it.” Kouyou looked defeated as the confession left his mouth, and Yuu frowned, more confused than ever. “I thought I was straight, Yuu, but I liked you for a while, and that kiss frightened me because It made me realize that I want so much more from you…”

“You… liked me for a while?” Yuu couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and he was stunned by the sudden confession. Everything seemed surreal.

“Yes, I… I…” Kouyou stuttered, and it made the butterflies in Yuu’s stomach go wild. “I think I’ve liked you for a few weeks now, I just didn’t know what it meant because I’ve never liked a boy before. When I was with that girl at Akira’s party…” Yuu’s eyes widened and his breath halted, Kouyou averting his gaze as shame engulfed him, “that was the first time I realized something was off, because I couldn’t touch her without… thinking of you.”

Yuu couldn’t react, merely staring at the blond with his lips parting slightly as he tried to breathe. He was speechless, his feelings throwing all of their intensity at him, his lungs clenching and chills running under his skin.

Kouyou had feelings for him. The blond boy he craved so much had  _ real _ feelings for him, and he looked so adorable and  _ so _ cute as Yuu spotted the surefire red tint appearing on his cheeks for the first time. Was Kouyou  _ blushing? _

“Yuu...” the blond called for him, but Yuu couldn’t snap out of his daze. His feelings overwhelmed him as his eyes fell on Kouyou’s soft lips.

Yuu was so happy, he wasn’t even thinking anymore. He  _ couldn’t. _

He threw himself against Kouyou a second later, their lips clashing together as the blond almost fell on his back. Yuu’s hands circled around Kouyou’s shoulders then and his mind went blank as their tongues made contact, and Yuu completely lost himself in the kiss he initiated.

The passion he was harbouring for so long was going wild, their kiss deepening even more, despite how messy the raven was as he tried to kiss Kouyou harder. His eyes were shut and he drowned in the moment completely as he found himself pushed on his back, Kouyou hovering above him, their kiss still just as passionate and intoxicating. It felt like a drug to the raven, who was suffocating again, but didn’t dare to break their kiss despite the lack of air in his lungs. Kouyou granted him some oxygen a moment later as he pulled away, gently running his fingers through Yuu’s black strands of hair.

Seconds passed as Yuu slowly came back to his senses, focusing on the gorgeous features of the smiling blond above him.

Kouyou was undeniably the happiest gay man to ever walk the earth.

He told Yuu everything he had wanted to confess to him. His feelings, which were revealed through a kiss so passionate and more intoxicating than any amount of alcohol or drugs. How he thought of Yuu when he touched the girl at Akira's party. About the drunken kiss that unlocked so many doors for Kouyou that had previously been shrouded in darkness, unknown to him, until the feeling of Yuu's soft lips against his own completely revealed what he didn't know was hidden beneath. How Kouyou had liked Yuu, but didn't see it until the little raven magically made everything clear.

And now, with Yuu laying on the bed underneath Kouyou, the raven strands beautifully splayed out as Kouyou played with them mindlessly in his fingers, the blond had found bliss. He panted slightly to gain back the small amounts of oxygen he'd been deprived during his absolutely breathtaking kiss with Yuu, and he couldn't help but smile down at the other boy with a warm grin. His eyes bore deep into Yuu's, whose own eyes were half-lidded as he gasped harder for oxygen. Yuu looked beautiful. Kouyou couldn't resist leaning down to place some pecks upon those full lips, upon the cute nose and soft cheeks, as he showered love upon the boy he now held so dearly, both literally and figuratively. Kouyou's hands moved beneath the back of Yuu's shoulders as Kouyou hugged him and buried his face in his neck.

"Yuu..." The president was breathless as he spoke, Yuu's scent so strong in his nostrils as he shamelessly breathed him in. Kouyou wanted to speak, he wanted to tell Yuu more, he wanted to douse him with all of the love and care the senior could possibly muster. But Kouyou was so overwhelmed by everything, he could only manage to hug Yuu tightly, protectively, and press light kisses to whatever parts of Yuu's soft skin he could currently reach.

"Please don't leave me Yuu," was the most Kouyou could say, in a low, husky voice. "I couldn't live with myself if you left me now. I need you to stay."

"Oh, Kouyou..." Yuu smiled sadly as he lifted his arms up to wrap around Kouyou's neck, his fingers mindlessly playing with the silky golden locks. The gesture comforted Kouyou greatly. "I can't leave you. And I don't think I'll have to, either."

Kouyou pulled away both slightly and reluctantly, unfurling his arms from where they had been wrapped underneath Yuu before he placed his hands on either side of Yuu's head, looking down at him sadly.

"Yuu... can you please just tell me?" Kouyou was ready to beg, to bribe, to do anything to get the answer out of Yuu. He desperately wanted to know why his mother had planned to leave in the first place. Yuu telling him earlier that she didn't want the raven being friends with Kouyou was enough of a blow, but to find out that she had planned on moving away and taking Yuu with her? Kouyou wouldn't allow it, and he had to know what mustered up the decision in the first place. He wouldn't give up until he found the answers Yuu was so reluctant to give.

The raven turned his head to the side with a sigh, avoiding Kouyou's gaze. He then started to crawl away from where he was laying under Kouyou, and quickly the president was scooping him back up in his arms so that Kouyou was now laying on his back while he cradled Yuu tightly against his chest, as if to make clear just how much he didn't want Yuu to leave him.

"Please tell me, Yuu. Tell me why your mother wanted to leave. Tell me what Takanori has to do with it. Tell me why she wanted to keep you away from me. Oh god, Yuu, I can't be without you..." Kouyou's murmurs were so sad and so desperate as his arms wrapped tightly around Yuu's shoulders, the raven's quick breaths in the crook of his neck, making him shiver.

"Kouyou..." Yuu let out a long sigh that warmed Kouyou's skin to the point of his nerves catching fire. "Takanori went to my old school."

"I know that." Why was Yuu telling him something he already knew?

"Remember how he said we... were just... acquaintances?"

"I do," Kouyou nodded, relieved that Yuu was beginning to spill more to the blond. He so desperately wanted to know Yuu and where he came from.

"We weren't. We were best friends. But I... I..." Yuu inhaled deeply, and Kouyou rubbed his back comfortingly. He understood that it must be difficult to discuss, and he wanted to reassure that Yuu was safe with him, and that he had nothing to fear when he was with Kouyou. His senior would always protect him. "I wanted to be more than best friends with him."

"You—?"

"I loved Takanori, Kouyou." The words left Yuu with so much pain in his voice that Kouyou instinctively pressed more kisses to the top of Yuu's head and hugged him tighter. "I loved him, and he... broke me."

Takanori had...?

And then... everything clicked inside of Kouyou's mind.

"You... you were the boy that had confessed to Takanori? The one he'd kicked to the curb in fear of his own reputation? You're the boy that helped Takanori discover who he is today?"

"How... do you know all of that..."

"Yuu, you're the boy that Takanori told me about. The one that he had found again. The one he had found surrounded by new friends and a boy that takes care of you better than he ever could." Kouyou quoted Takanori's direct words as he put the pieces together, his voice threatening to break at the realizations. "Takanori told me... to not make the same mistakes that he did. When he said that, I didn't understand what he meant." Kouyou paused, taking a deep breath. "But now I understand. Yuu, Takanori told me to make sure that I don't lose you the same way he did. He told me not to break you the same way that he did."

Yuu was staring up at him now, with eyes so full of astonishment, confusion, and most of all... love.

"And now I understand why your mom wanted to leave. You left your old school because of Takanori, didn't you?"

"I did..."

"That's why... your cat..."

"Yes."

Kouyou was beyond overwhelmed, and he took another breath as he collected his thoughts and put together the many pieces that he had previously overlooked.

"And your mother was afraid I would hurt you in the same way." The words hurt Kouyou. His voice broke and be had to take another deep breath to ground himself.

"Yes."

And then to hear it confirmed, Kouyou was crushed.

"No... no, Yuu..." The senior's voice became desperate as he clung to Yuu. "She can't take you away from me. I'll never even think about hurting you like Takanori did. I couldn't. I can't even stand seeing you sad; to see you broken, at the hands of myself, would destroy me, Yuu. You have to believe me—"

Kouyou's distressed, paranoid rambling was cut off by the soft force of something pressing against his lips, which he quickly recognized to be Yuu's own. The feeling of the raven calmed him instantly, as if he'd just been injected with a sedative.

Yuu pulled back from the kiss to speak, and he was so close Kouyou could feel his breath on his lips. "Kouyou... I'm not going anywhere. I promise you."

The raven's words calmed Kouyou instantaneously, and Kouyou was leaning his head forward to give another peck to Yuu as if to seal those words into the promise Yuu had spoken verbally. Kouyou couldn't reply. He was so full of emotion he didn't know what to do with himself.

So he kissed Yuu again, and again, and again, hugging him close and vowing to never let him go.

The boys remained in each other’s arms, tasting each other and cuddling as the minutes passed by. Yuu knew it was late, but he didn’t care about the time as he didn’t yet feel sleepy, despite the exhaustion in his body.

He didn’t want to sleep, or at least not now; not after he had Kouyou in his hold like this. He wanted to stay awake for as long as he possibly could to enjoy Kouyou’s perfection, memorizing every sensation and every touch they shared.

Therefore, they stayed in Yuu’s bed, Yuu laying atop Kouyou’s chest as the blond rested his body on the soft pillows near the bedframe.

The way Kouyou’s fingers played with Yuu’s, hair caressing it softly, made the raven slowly close his eyes and fall deeper into their moment.

“Time for bed, boys.”

Yuu’s eyes shot open at the sound of a voice, his eyes quickly catching sight of his mother as she walked inside of his room, leaving some freshly cleaned sheets for his bed.

The raven’s cheeks flushed red again and he withdrew from Kouyou’s warmth at an incredible speed, quickly realizing the embarrassing position she had just seen them in.

Yuu avoided the senior’s gaze, sitting up on his bed and gazing at his mom instead as she simply stood next to them, her hands shifting nervously.

“Kouyou,” she began, her voice slightly shaking, “the sofa’s ready.”

“What?” Yuu barked back, surprised by her words, but she avoided his eyes. “But… Kouyou’s slept in my bed before.”

“Yes, but you were friends! You weren’t together!” The woman blurted out in a nervous splurge, and then her face turned red.

Yuu was speechless and didn’t object as he recalled her words over and over again in his head, a wave of embarrassment overtaking his motor control.

They were... together? As in—

“No problem, Ms. Shiroyama.” Kouyou rose up from his spot on the bed, standing up on his feet. “I understand. But, uh, can we at least brush our teeth together?”

The woman was so embarrassed, it took her a couple of moments before she finally nodded. “Of course, but it’s nearing midnight, so...”

“We’ll be quick, don’t worry.”

“Okay.” She sounded better and more confident after seeing she had Kouyou on her side. She then left them alone in the room and Yuu slowly followed Kouyou to the bathroom, clearly displeased by the sudden decision of his mother, but submitting to it all the while.

~

Yuu looked up at Kouyou who was standing at the door frame of his room and felt chills run down his spine as he searched for the pajamas in his wardrobe. He finally found them a second later and walked over to the blond, passing them into his arms.

“I’m sorry…” He spoke in a low voice. “I don’t know what she was thinking, making you sleep on the sofa...”

“No, but  _ I _ know, and it’s okay,” the blond answered without hesitation, and the smile on his face made Yuu’s heart leap in his chest. The realization of what he meant made Yuu’s cheeks flare up even more as they both felt hot, their temperatures rising to a boiling degree.

Yuu didn’t have much time to think as Kouyou leaned in a second later, kissing his lips gently before pulling away.

“Goodnight, my little raven.”

And then Kouyou winked at Yuu before leaving him alone in the room again.

Yuu didn’t sleep at all that night.

~

True to Ms. Shiroyama's words, the couch was done up, and it was done up so cozily that Kouyou didn't even mind its small size once he had slipped under the covers.

But what he did mind was the absence of Yuu's presence. He could still feel where the younger boy's lips had pressed against his when he gave him a goodnight peck. Kouyou smiled silly to himself at the thought, almost giddy.

"Goodnight, Kouyou," the senior heard the raven's mother say to him, avoiding his gaze as she turned off the lights in the kitchen and made her way to her own bedroom, leaving Kouyou in the dark. He sighed.

Of course he understood Ms. Shiroyama and her worries by making Kouyou sleep on the couch. He couldn't have missed it, what with the way her face had gone so red, much like a mirror image of her son's. But that didn't change the fact that he didn't agree with her decision.

He wasn't stupid enough to do something with Yuu so soon, especially not when his mom was in the house! How low did that woman think of him? Yes, Kouyou was a teenage boy with hormones. Yes, Yuu was also a teenage boy with hormones.  _ Yes, _ they were both gay.  _ Okay, _ maybe putting two gay teenage boys with raging hormones who also happened to be deathly in love with one another to bed wouldn't have been the best idea.  _ But still! _ Kouyou wanted to make their first moments special. He didn't want to rush into anything with Yuu, especially not something as big as asking Yuu to give up his virginity to him, or even the fact that Yuu probably had zero sexual experience and Kouyou would be the one to show him all of the ropes...

_ Shut up, Shima! _ Kouyou yelled at himself internally once he felt that oh so familiar heat go ablaze in his abdomen.  _ Not the time for that. _

Which meant his thoughts took a darker turn as he realized just how lonely it felt to be sleeping out in the living room by himself. Whenever he came to Yuu's house, it was to escape the loneliness of his own. Not to feel more of it, but in a different setting.

The blond sighed, rubbing his face with his hand and then pulling the sheets up to his nose. It was cold out there, too. Kouyou craved Yuu's warmth already. He didn't want to feel lonely. He wanted to to wrap his arms around Yuu as Yuu cuddled up to him, and Kouyou wanted to shamelessly bury his nose into the soft strands of his dark hair, inhaling the raven's beautiful, flowery scents. He wanted to hold Yuu as he fell asleep, and wake up to the younger boy expecting him there, and not having forgotten the way they fell asleep cuddling like Yuu did that one night he was drunk.

He wanted to spend a night with Yuu when they were... together, as Ms. Shiroyama had put it earlier. The realization made him bite his lip cheekily as he tried to stop his boyish grin from getting too wide.

Being together with Yuu.

Kouyou liked the sound of that.

Getting to call Yuu his boyfriend.

Kouyou  _ really  _ liked the sound of that.

A soft meowing sound to his right made him turn on his side, his eyes thankfully having adjusted to the dark enough to allow him to see Yuu's kitten sitting on the floor beside the couch, staring up at him with big green eyes.

"Hi, Kiko," Kouyou whispered with a smile, letting his arm drape down the side of the couch for her to sniff if she chose to do so. She flinched at first, but when Kouyou stayed still for a moment, she cautiously leaned forward to sniff his hand, and then lick it afterwards. The senior chuckled, and his heart felt warm. Maybe he couldn't have Yuu tonight, but maybe he could have something just like him.

"Can I pet you?" The blond asked, knowing the kitten wouldn't respond, but he felt polite asking anyways. When she didn't object but kept licking his hand, he made no move to pet her. Not until she was nuzzling his hand and guiding it along her back soon afterwards, and Kouyou took the invitation to let his hand glide down her back in a slow rhythm, and to his surprise, she allowed him. The softness of her fur was comforting. It reminded Kouyou of Yuu's hair.

The senior sighed at that. "I miss Yuu. And yet we're under the same roof. We're literally a few rooms away from each other and I miss him. How dumb is that?"

The kitten gave Kouyou's hand another lick when she sensed the change in his demeanor.

"It's pretty dumb. You know what else is dumb? My love for him. I love him so much, did you know that?"

_ Kouyou, something dumber is that you're talking to a cat, _ he told himself, and he couldn't help but let out a faint snort at his silliness.  _ How embarrassing, spilling your love about someone to their pet... _

He gave another sigh and pulled his hand away from Kiko, whom Kouyou was happy to realize he had made a truce with. She didn't hiss at him. She'd actually let him pet her. That must mean something.

Eventually, Kouyou fell asleep after the encounter with Yuu's kitten, despite the loneliness continuing to eat away at his heart.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO STRANGERS  
> it's been weeks since the last update and i'm SO SORRY ... with this semester coming to a close it's been very stressful and i couldn't edit. next week is my exams but after that i'm out for summer and updates will be frequent again! thank you for your patience love u all kiss kiss

Thanks to the great amount of sunlight that made its way into the living room through the large windows and lack of dark curtains early in the morning, Kouyou woke up way too early for his liking. His sleep had been broken and he rubbed at the morning crust in his eyes, groaning uncomfortably as his joints cracked louder than usual as a result of how squished he had been on the couch. The room was cold, resulting in a shiver wracking his body.

Worst of all, he was alone.

Another groan escaped Kouyou's lips. He was still exhausted, but knew better than to think he'd be getting any more sleep.

And then an idea struck him as he caught sight of his phone on a table nearby. Groggily, he reached for it, and before he knew it he was entering his private texts with Yuu.

Their most recent texts pained him to look at, but he ignored them as he typed a new one.

Kouyou: Good morning my little raven

Kouyou: Are you awake?

Kouyou: I miss you

In another room under the same roof, Yuu’s eyes quickly opened as he heard the buzzing sounds of his phone. The boy quickly rolled to his side, taking the device in his hands, and his sleepiness vanishing instantly upon seeing Kouyou’s name on the display.

He smiled wide, feeling hot as he read the messages, and chuckled softly at the nickname his senior called him again.

“My little raven,” he whispered, biting his lip in a poor attempt to hide how happy he was right now.

Yuu: I’m awake. I haven’t slept much

Yuu: I missed you

It didn’t even take five seconds for the blond to respond.

Kouyou: Can I come?

Yuu stared at the display and pondered the proposal, his cheeks heating up and blushing madly as his imagination went uncontrollably wild—but then another message came in.

Kouyou: Wait, your mom is in the kitchen...

Yuu: Busted.

Kouyou: Hahaha, very funny, kitten.

Kouyou: I think she thinks I’m still sleeping

Yuu chuckled at his phone before his reactions slowed down as he stared at the new name the blond had called him with.

Yuu: What are those names all of a sudden?

Kouyou: You don’t like them? :(

Yuu: No, no!

Yuu: It’s just…

Yuu: It’s embarrassing.

Kouyou: Oh, how I wish to see your blushing face right now ;)

That bastard. He fucking didn’t.

No, wait—he actually  _ did. _

Yuu was ready to hyperventilate, his blush burning his skin this time, but before he thought of a proper way to answer the cheeky blond, Kouyou was messaging him again.

Kouyou: Okay

Kouyou: Your mom just walked in on me texting you. Now I’m busted.

Kouyou: I’ll brush my teeth and help your mom with the pancakes.

_ Pancakes! _

Yuu’s stomach made a loud growl at that, and the boy was out of his bed in a flash, making his way to the bathroom where he was met with the tired face of a sleepy Kouyou.

“Good morning,” he grinned at the blond and grabbed his toothbrush, but froze in his tracks soon after when he felt arms circling around his waist, Kouyou pressing patterns of kisses on the raven’s cheek a second later.

“Kouyou! Brush your teeth!” Yuu was panicking, but the blond seemed deaf, not budging from their embarrassing position. “Kouyou, teeth, morning breath, ew!” Yuu laughed, voicing out his protest as he tried to pull away from his senior, but with no success. Therefore, he grabbed the second toothbrush and abruptly pushed it inside of Kouyou’s mouth, not showing any remorse to his sleepy state.

Kouyou’s eyes turned into slits then and he slowly released the raven’s waist, brushing his teeth thoroughly a second later.

Yuu kept laughing at the grumpy blond as they did their morning routine and, after they were done, Kouyou didn’t miss the chance to steal a quick kiss from the other boy.

“Wait, I have to change. I can’t walk around in the pajamas,” Yuu complained as Kouyou tried to pull him towards the kitchen.

“What?” The blond grinned, and Yuu sensed that cheekiness was about to deliver another blow to his pride. “You’re  _ too  _ adorable when dressed like that, you can’t deprive me from the sight...”

“Kouyou, please!” he begged and Kouyou sighed, nodding and reluctantly releasing the raven’s hand from his grip.

“Alright… but I’m watching you change.”

_ “Kouyou!” _ Yuu was shocked at the speed everything was escalating, but the blond’s smirk looked so…  _ cute, _ yet dirty at the same time. “I thought you were supposed to help mom with the pancakes.”

“Oh…” Kouyou’s eyes darkened at that. ”Damn, you’re right. Okay, you’re good at this, kitten, but I  _ will  _ catch you one day.”

“Oh, god, stop calling me that,” Yuu grumbled, still smiling and blushing madly as he stalked down the corridor to his room.

“Okay, kitten." If Kouyou had known Yuu got flustered so easily, he would've started teasing him way sooner.

Just the thought of the raven going tomato-red from the nicknames and from Kouyou's sly, physical advances, was enough to make Kouyou grin cheekily to himself, biting his lip as he did so. Yuu was the most adorable thing, and Kouyou was going to take advantage of it.

The senior exited the bathroom and made his way to the kitchen soon after, because he did promise to help Yuu's mother with breakfast.

"Kouyou, you're still in your pajamas?" The woman scolded once she caught sight of him entering the kitchen. She was already preparing the pancake mix.

"Um... sorry, I'll go change once Yuu's done changing. I need to borrow clothes from him again..." Kouyou really had to stop with these unplanned sleepovers and bring his own clothes for once. But he didn't mind too much, getting to wear Yuu's clothes. They always smelled like him.

Ms. Shiroyama hummed, her attention on the mix in the bowl in her hand as she avoided looking at Kouyou head-on. "I see. How... did you sleep?"

The casual question had been expected, but it held more weight than Kouyou thought he could handle. "I slept... fine," he lied, not wanting to discuss much more of the situation. He was relieved when Ms. Shiroyama didn't prod more. The topic was probably just as uncomfortable for her to discuss.

Kouyou avoided more awkward conversation by starting to help with the pancakes, like he had promised. He took over the rest of the mixing as Ms. Shiroyama went to prepare the stove, and a few moments later, Yuu had entered the kitchen. Kouyou smiled at him, and Yuu shyly shot him a smile in return.

"Good morning, Yuu," Ms. Shiroyama greeted, not daring to approach her son, despite the longing, yet guilty look she wore. Instead, she waited for her son to give her some of his attention, and kept staring at him as she waited for a reaction. Yuu seemed to be in a much better mood than yesterday, and it quickly showed once he greeted the woman back, smiling gently at her as he did so.

“Good morning, mom.” 

The woman’s eyes quickly grew watery as she didn’t expect the show of affection Yuu just granted her. The guilty look on her face quickly morphed into one of relief, and Kouyou couldn’t help but smile warmly at their interaction, seeing that the two were finally on good terms with each other again. 

The woman didn’t hesitate this time as she walked closer to her son, wrapping an arm around him and kissing the top of his head.

"Mom! Stop it," Yuu complained, his face going red again. Oh, how Kouyou wanted to be the one making Yuu react that way... hopefully he could once breakfast was finished, and that Ms. Shiroyama wouldn't be hovering over them all day. God love that woman, but she had to let the boys live a little! She eyed Kouyou every damn time he stepped in a 1-foot radius of her son.

Kouyou couldn't help sneaking playful pecks to Yuu's cheeks whenever Ms. Shiroyama wasn't looking, though.

~

After some boyish kitchen antics and getting scolded by Yuu's mother more than a few times, the three of them had prepared their pancakes and were sitting down at the table. They were quickly saying their 'itadakimasu's before digging in.

"It's so good!" Kouyou practically moaned as he ate, still not totally used to the Shiroyamas' hospitality. Yuu and his mother smiled, happy to see Kouyou so pleased with their service.

"Don't worry, Kouyou. It's nothing," Ms. Shiroyama waved off, and Yuu supported her statement with an enthusiastic nod. Kouyou smiled under their shared compassion before returning to his meal.

"Oh, Yuu."

"Hm?"

"Open up."

"Kouy—mmph!" Yuu's sentence had been cut off by Kouyou placing a forkful of pancake into the raven's mouth, which caused the younger boy to go into a flustered state, quickly chewing the food that had been forced into his mouth by a certain blond-haired senior. Yuu's face went red and he furrowed his brows angrily. Kouyou chuckled endearingly at the sight, and he swore he heard the same chuckles coming from Ms. Shiroyama.

"Kouyou, you are  _ so  _ embarrassing!" Yuu grumbled as he childishly crossed his arms, which promptly caused Kouyou to hold his hand and coax him out of his adorably flustered, adorably angry state. Yuu flinched at his touch, but soon accepted it, to Kouyou's relief.

"I'll... go put the leftovers away," Ms. Shiroyama interjected, feeling like a black sheep and intruder to the two boys. Secretly, though, she was happy to see Kouyou treating her son with such care. She could see that he wasn't anything like Takanori; Kouyou felt something deep for Yuu, and something told the woman that he wouldn't do anything to hurt her son. Ms. Shiroyama was relieved to see it. Her son deserved to be happy, and she couldn't deny him that. Not after everything that had happened with them, and certainly not after Yuu had found a boy that seemed to truly care for him.

Of course the woman would always be protective of her son, but for right now, she felt like it would be okay to let her guard down.

Besides, she couldn't deny that the two boys were simply adorable.

~

"Maybe you two should watch a movie in the living room."

Kouyou and Yuu were stopped in their tracks once they had finished cleaning the dishes (albeit with more boyish antics that had been scolded by Yuu's mother, and some romantic antics roused by Kouyou when the woman wasn't looking, melting Yuu into an adorable puddle of embarrassment) at the sound of Ms. Shiroyama's voice. They'd been making a break for Yuu's room.

"Mom!" Yuu complained, face going red again.

"I'm kidding, don't worry. You boys have a good day, but don't forget that I'm under the same roof," she said as she narrowed her eyes at the points, pointing at them with a finger.

_ "Mom!!" _

"Okay, let's go, Yuu!" And then Kouyou was dragging Yuu away by clasping the raven's hand in his own, not wanting to subject the two of them to double-humiliation.

~

They ended up watching a movie in Yuu's room, laying on the bed. Kouyou was laying on his back and Yuu was cuddled up to his chest, their legs entwined and Kouyou mindlessly playing with the younger's hair.

"Kouyou?"

"Mm?" Kouyou hummed in response to Yuu's timid voice.

"What are we?"

Yuu tensed up as soon as he asked the dreadful question that had been lingering in his mind. There was an awkward silence that fell between them, the noise from their long forgotten movie being the only thing to disturb it, and the blond’s fingers froze, still tangled in Yuu’s strands of hair.

“What do you mean?” He asked with a sigh.

“I mean it like… what are we now, after… um—”

“You’re my boyfriend, Yuu.” Kouyou was quick to cut him off, sensing how troubled Yuu was by the situation, but it wasn’t enough to ease the teen’s heart, despite how happy the boy was as a result of his senior’s statement.

“Okay…” Yuu breathed out and rose up from his position slightly, just enough to look at Kouyou’s confused eyes. “So, we’re officially a couple, right?”

“Of course,” Kouyou smiled, but that smile faded quickly as Yuu remained serious.

“We can’t tell anyone, then.”

“You mean…” Kouyou frowned, pondering for a moment, but Yuu was running out of patience and couldn’t wait for him to figure it out alone. It was eating at the boy’s own heart already.

”We must not touch in public, Kou,” Yuu spoke, his voice low, Kouyou’s frown deepening. ”No kissing and no touching. No one can find out. You have no idea how cruel people could be towards people… like us.”

“But…” Kouyou looked hurt as he spoke, and it only squeezed Yuu’s heart tighter. “Wait, that means… I can’t claim you. Hana can approach you whenever she likes…”

“You have a whole fanclub running after you; imagine how I’ve been feeling for a while now.” Yuu rose an eyebrow and that definitely proved his point, because Kouyou didn’t object.

Instead, the blond scrunched up his nose with a look of confusion before speaking his thoughts aloud, embarrassing Yuu even more with his next question. “For a while? What do you mean? When did you… discover that you liked me?”

Yuu merely stared at him for a moment, unsure about how much he was ready to reveal, but in the end, decided to be completely honest and confess everything despite how embarrassing it was. “I think… I think I was attracted to you from the moment I saw you. For a while, it was just a crush, but... it didn’t take long before I fell harder for you.”

“That means…” Kouyou looked so crestfallen at the news, Yuu couldn’t help but reach out to cradle the blond’s face in his soft palms. “You had feelings for me this whole time? I… I must have hurt you…  _ so  _ many times, and all without realizing it. Good god, I was so  _ stupid...” _

“Stop it,” Yuu shushed, his fingers gently moving against and warming up Kouyou’s skin, calming him instantly with the kind touch. “It’s in the past. Live in the now, and just forget about it, okay?”

Kouyou sighed and, without muttering another word, nodded, silently agreeing to the younger’s words.

“Kouyou, did you… actually consider… coming out?” Yuu continued, suddenly realizing what the senior’s words from earlier actually meant.

“I don’t know, but… ugh.” Kouyou sighed again, and his hand resumed the play his fingers had with the black strands still caught in them. “Hiding it will be so difficult. Looking at you makes me want to scream to the world about how beautiful my boyfriend is. I want to show off to everyone... make them jealous.”

Yuu’s embarrassment was immense and he slapped Kouyou’s shoulder, not giving a damn about how hard it was, making the blond flinch in pain. 

“Okay, okay! I’m sorry, kitten.”

Another slap followed, harsher than the previous, and Kouyou was quick to flip the raven on his back, hovering over him whilst grinning triumphantly as the boy tried to push him off, but was completely helpless in his attempts.

“Kouyou, get off me.” Yuu tried to protest, but Kouyou merely restrained his movements even more, kissing him softly as he did so, shutting up the boy for good. 

Yuu was shocked, but leaned in a second later, taking in Kouyou’s tongue and accepting his ministrations, answering it all hungirly. His mind went dizzy and the boy relaxed his body, allowing Kouyou to dominate it as the senior finally made his way between the raven’s thighs.

Yuu couldn’t believe what the blond was capable of, and he couldn’t do anything but obey him every time such intimacy occurred between them.

Kouyou’s lips made their way to Yuu’s neck soon after, and the raven opened his eyes, vision blurred as he tried to gasp for air. The passion that had been locked inside of him for so long was slowly coming loose and Yuu barely managed to hang onto his consciousness as he felt the blond’s tongue wetting and tickling his skin. The alarms in his head were loud, but Yuu’s hands didn’t push the senior away and slowly circled around his strong shoulders instead.

“Kouyou… s-stop it.” Yuu’s voice was shaken, his body temperature rising to a dangerous degree, whilst his lower regions reacted uncontrollably to Kouyou’s tongue, making the tension in them unbearable.

When a boy as pretty as Yuu was so accessible to Kouyou, the blond had a difficult time keeping the hormones that went berserk every time Yuu was around him at bay. He already knew they couldn't do much at this point in time, but what he did know was that it didn't hurt to get a little taste of what he'd been craving so desperately. But the way Yuu writhed underneath him, fuck, Kouyou had a hard time controlling himself. Yuu was so responsive, the the way he so desperately clung to Kouyou made Kouyou want to devour him whole.   
Especially after what Yuu had told him, about not being able to show off in public. It made Kouyou want to ravage him in private even more, and he couldn't have helped the small mark he left on the raven's neck.

“Purr for me, kitten.” Kouyou’s voice was so,  _ so  _ hot, his breath caressing the wet traces on Yuu’s neck before bitting it a second later. The raven gasped as soon as he felt those teeth digging at his skin, and his thighs reacted on their own, squeezing Kouyou’s hips between them.

“Kou...” he barely cried out, “stop.” Kouyou’s hand made its way to the raven’s hair, fingers grabbing it. ”My mother, Kou…” the blond then tugged at the soft strands, making Yuu’s head arch back, revealing more of the sensitive skin on his neck. “Mom could walk in on us, Kouyou. Stop.”

And then Kouyou’s lips released Yuu’s delicious skin and the blond simply rested his head on the raven’s shoulder as they both held each other and gasped for air, desperately trying to cool down their untrollable, heated emotions.

"You're my kitten, Yuu. Nobody else's," Kouyou whispered against Yuu's neck after the blond had just barely come to his senses, making sure to control himself before he did something worse with Yuu's mother in the house. He resorted to hugging the younger boy, still craving his comfort and his contact even if they couldn't do anything sexual—but god, the sexual tension was so real, and so was the frustration.

"Kou, you're so embarrassing!" Yuu whined, pulling Kouyou out of his perverted thoughts.

"And you're adorable," Kouyou replied with a smirk, although Yuu couldn't see it as Kouyou's head was still in the raven's neck. "I don't want anybody else to snatch you up."

Yuu sighed at that, the hold he had around Kouyou's neck loosening. "Nobody is going to snatch me up."

"No, they won't. I won't let it happen." The senior knew he was probably being a bit too protective, but he just couldn't help it. Yuu was so beautiful, so perfect, and he was Kouyou's. The whole  _ “not being able to show off his adorable new beau” _ thing was going to be tough for the president, but he had to try. "I just... can't believe you're mine."

"I can't believe I'm yours," Yuu replied, hugging Kouyou tightly again. Kouyou hugged him back just as tightly, not letting him go.

"So does all of this mean... that you can stay in the band?"

Yuu didn't answer right away. When he did, his lips were upturned in a smile. "It does."

"And that you'll keep the guitar?"

"If... if you want me to."

"I do," Kouyou said desperately. "Please keep it. It suits you so well. You look beautiful when you play it; I couldn't stop staring at you at our last practice."

"Kouyouuuu—"

"No more whining, my kitten." And then Kouyou was shutting him up with another soft kiss.

~

"Yuu, I really don't want to go home." Now Kouyou was the one whining, a little while later after the new couple had spent a good chunk of their day cuddling and enjoying each other's company. But a thought struck Kouyou, one that he really didn't want to have to think about.

"I don't want you to go either, but... I bet Shiro really misses you," Yuu offered, trying to lighten up the situation. It was inevitable; Kouyou couldn't stay at Yuu's house forever, as much as they both wanted him to. He had to be responsible.

"Yeah, I bet he does." Kouyou let out a sigh, stroking Yuu's hair. "And I... don't want to intrude on you and your mother more than necessary."

"Kouyou, no," Yuu interjected, his big eyes full of worry as he looked up at his boyfriend. "You're never intruding on us, I promise you. My mother adores you and so do I."

The senior's eyes lit up like a child's on Christmas. "Really?"

"Absolutely." Yuu sealed the confession with a kiss.

"Now I really don't want to go."

"Kouyou, you have to."

With a groan, Kouyou was removing himself from Yuu, knowing that he had to go home whether he liked it or not. His actions were sluggish as he enlarged the distance between himself and his boyfriend, wishing that somehow, something would happen and Kouyou didn't have to leave.

"Come on, Kou," Yuu encouraged softly, standing up from the bed and tugging on Kouyou's wrists. Kouyou couldn't disobey his adorable beau, and was easily being tugged up to stand in front of the shorter boy, their chests now pressing as Kouyou gazed down into Yuu's eyes. The senior let his arms drape around the small of Yuu's back.

"Can I see you again soon?" Kouyou asked sadly, while Yuu smiled softly.

"Maybe we can arrange a band practice tomorrow and then hang out afterwards," the raven suggested, to which Kouyou grinned.

"I'd like that."

Yuu lead Kouyou to the front door soon after, where Kouyou was now peppering his little kitten with goodbye kisses.

"Kouyou, you're so... stop it! That tickles!" Yuu whined as Kouyou began placing pecks upon his neck, only to be interrupted by the clearing of Ms. Shiroyama's throat, the woman seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

Even Kouyou was blushing, now, and he backed away from Yuu, apologies spilling out of his lips at the shame of getting caught by Yuu's mother,  _ again. _

But the woman only smiled in return, not a trace of hostility in her features. "I expect I'll see you again soon, Kouyou."

"Only if you'll have me."

"Only if you'll keep washing our dishes. Yuu never does them," Ms. Shiroyama teased, smirking down at her son who was now scowling. Kouyou chuckled.

"I'll do whatever it takes."

~

As Kouyou laid down on his bed and snuggled Shiro beside him, his phone went off, and after reading the messages, he knew that everything would be okay.

_ Yuu has been added to the group chat. _

Yutaka: yuu! ＼(º □ º l|l)/

Takanori: oh thank god you're back yuu. yutaka can finally stop losing his shit over this

Akira: Yuu wtf was that about

Kouyou: Welcome back, Yuu ♡


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO LOVELIES i had my final exam earlier today, and now i'm officially on summer holidays! prepare for more regular updates!!!

Yuu was ready to go out the next day, his hands working on the ties of his shoes as his mother waited for him. The boy was feeling content for the first time in a  _ very long while, _ and he realized he was truly happy as memories of the past few days rolled into his mind. His mother seemed calmer since then and, even though she frowned when Yuu told her about the practice he had to attend, she didn’t object. He had already told her about Takanori’s role in the band, but the woman seemed to be less worried about it; not as scared as she was before.

Kouyou had won her trust, and as long as Yuu was with him at those practices, she was okay with it.

Yuu quickly left the house once he was done with his shoes, and entered Kouyou’s car which was already waiting for him outside. The boy left the guitar in the back seat and positioned himself in the passenger seat, next to the blond in the driver’s.

As he was putting his seatbelt on, Kouyou cleared his throat loudly. The raven was confused when he looked up at the president, but the realization hit him a second later, and the boy left a quick peck on the blond’s lips.

“Good.” Kouyou smirked, and Yuu was blushing madly yet again as they took off to Yutaka’s place.

“Why do you have the car today? I thought all of the equipment was there already.”

“We’re going on a date after practice,” Kouyou grinned, and Yuu smiled back.

“We’re gonna have a real date?”

“Yes, I want to show you a certain place.”

Kouyou’s words warmed up Yuu’s heart, and he felt even happier, not having expected such a turn of events today. The concept of having a boyfriend and going on dates with him had crossed his mind before, but only briefly—and everything still seemed surreal to him. Kouyou was truly amazing, and Yuu couldn’t help but admit that he loved him for everything that he was.

As soon as they arrived, though, Yuu’s mood slightly darkened, realizing they wouldn’t be alone and they’ll have to put on a mask, hiding their bond in front of the boys.

That proved to be very difficult for the both of them, especially when they started playing their songs, with Kouyou easily falling into their rhythm and staring at Yuu with a look which made Yuu feel hot, yet uncomfortable, and even embarrassed, every time.

When the practice was finally done, Yuu felt content with the way everything seemed to be working out. The communication between the boys was good, and they were strict with one another. Yutaka had superb hearing and was able to quickly tell when something was off, even after they had done their soundchek. They all actually had a variety of skills, and Yuu felt delighted by that fact. He felt useful, and wanted, and most of all… loved.

Yuu was putting the guitar back in its case when Yutaka made his usual proposition. “Kouyou, Yuu, let’s gather for some drinks and discuss some songs upstairs, like last time.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t,” Kouyou objected.

“Eh? Why?”

“Um…” Kouyou froze in his tracks, his face looking confused and nervous, and his mind going blank as he obviously was not prepared for such questions at all.

“I have to go home, so he’ll drop me off at my house.” Yuu was quick to butt in and save the confused blond from further embarrassment.

“Oh, no, Yuu… again?” Yutaka was genuinely sad now, and Yuu tried to look apologetical.

“Yeah. Mom is still mad that I got drunk at the first practice, so I’m grounded until spring break is over.”

“Oh man… too bad. Kouyou, do you think you can come for an hour or two after dropping Yuu at his house?”

“I can’t, I have some… stuff to do.”

The blond looked even more lost than before and Yuu facepalmed internally. Kouyou was really bad at this, wasn’t he?

“What stuff, exactly?” Takanori spoke up and walked over to Kouyou, his eyes shifty and suspicious. The blond was absolutely frozen then, his eyes moving to Yuu, seeking some sort of salvation and the raven quickly moved his lips, silently mouthing “math“ in the senior’s direction.

“I have t-to study. I’m failing math and school is starting again in a couple of days, so...”

“Aha…” Takanori kept his suspicious gaze on Kouyou, but then Akira opened his mouth, making Yuu and Kouyou both widen their eyes and hyperventilate internally.

“Is Yuu tutoring you again, Kouyou? Don’t be shy if you two are having another private session. Just say so.”

“Oh!” Takanori was quick to comment, “wait a sec, Yuu...” he pointed a lacquered nail at the raven on his right, “is tutoring you math… how sweet of him?”

“Okay, it’s getting late, time to go.” Yuu picked up the guitar case from the floor and walked over to the exit of the garage.

“It was such a pleasure to play with you guys, but mom will go mad. Can’t wait for the next practice. Kouyou,  _ please  _ hurry up.”

And then Yuu left them in a desperate attempt to save himself from all of this embarrassment. He and Kouyou definitely had to talk, because they needed a plan, or they risked getting caught by their friends.

~

Without Yuu to protect him, Kouyou was vulnerable, and he was quick to make a run for it—only to be stopped in his tracks by Akira's snide voice, after the blond had made a sound like 'ooooh' in quiet realization.

"Make sure to plug in all those numbers reeeeal carefully, Kou. Wouldn't wanna mess up."

Apparently, Takanori was jumping aboard the 'let's tease the fuck out of Kouyou' train right after Akira. "I never was a fan of math, but I never really minded the numbers '6' and '9'. Maybe you enjoy them too, Kouyou?"

"Both of you. Shut the fuck up," Kouyou snapped over his shoulder, his face beginning to boil from both humiliation and anger towards his two bandmates. Yes, he'd talked to them both individually about the discovery of his orientation, but nothing more than that; and yet, the two of them were somehow managing to catch on and tag-team him.

"Sorry, Kouyou. Go have your tutoring session with Yuu—you never know, maybe he'll need you to tutor him in something else soon." Takanori tried to hide his snicker as he spoke, which he evidently failed to do, which made Akira splutter out a laugh beside him.

"Okay, goodbye!"

_ Fucking perverts, _ Kouyou was thinking to himself as he ran out, leaving the two snickering blonds behind him.

Well, not that Kouyou wasn't one himself, but... that was beside the point.

All that mattered right now was his date with Yuu, and Kouyou was happy to see the little raven sitting in the passenger seat already. He entered the driver's side, gleefully grinning at Yuu, only to find...

That Yuu wasn't even looking at him.

"Yuu? Yuu, what's the matter?"

"Kou..." Yuu had his arms crossed, and a sigh escaped his lips as he kept his gaze fixated on something out of the window, instead of on Kouyou. "I told you, we... can't let ourselves be found out. Our friends already seem suspicious."

Well, apparently, it was too late to hide from Akira and Takanori, because those two were...  _ beyond  _ suspicious. They didn't know anything for sure, but with the very blatant teasing they had done in Kouyou's presence, they certainly knew more than they'd let on around Yuu.

And it was Kouyou's fault.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, Yuu." The blond suddenly recalled how odd he'd acted around his bandmates earlier, and immediately felt shame. Even if he hadn't already talked to Akira and Takanori, his behaviour just then probably would've set off some red flags. "I just... I'm so not used to having to hide a relationship. I don't know how to do it."

"I get that, Kou, but... can you please try? I know it's hard; it's hard for me too. It's not like I want to keep us a secret, but for right now, I feel like it's the best decision for us to pursue. We'll come up with a plan of some sort." Yuu was finally looking at Kouyou, but this time, Kouyou had his gaze fixated on the hand he had wrapped around the top of the steering wheel. His grip was tight and his shoulders were tense, but as he heard Yuu's soft voice fill the vehicle, he gradually loosened up.

"Alright, we'll plan something soon. But for right now, we're going on that date I promised you." Kouyou was looking at Yuu again, and this time Yuu returned the look with a grin he tried to hold back by biting his lip. Kouyou thought it was adorable, and he was promptly leaning over to give the raven a peck upon his lips, which Yuu gave up and grinned into.

"Where are we going?" Yuu inquired once the kiss had been broken, quickly ending it before things got too... heated.

"A place I think my kitten will enjoy, and deserves to go to." Kouyou started the car as he spoke before delivering a charming smile Yuu's way, internally melting at how Yuu had already gotten flustered by the simple nickname. "You're not going to get out of acting like my boyfriend there."

"Okay, Kou." Yuu looked apprehensive at first, but soon fell into comfort. "I trust you."

Those three words meant everything to Kouyou.

He smiled to himself as he pulled out of Yutaka's driveway and onto the road, headed in the direction of the place he wanted to take his boyfriend to.

~

"We're almost there, baby."

"Where are we, Kou?" Yuu asked, perplexed, as he stared out of the window at the many restaurants, some fancy-looking and expensive, passing by.

Kouyou didn't respond. Instead, he kept driving, but smirked to himself at the sight of Yuu being so bewildered by their location. He desperately hoped Yuu would enjoy the place he'd chosen, making sure it suited the raven's tastes beforehand.

And then he was pulling up to a decently high-end Italian restaurant, to which Yuu's eyes widened at.

"Here?! Kouyou, this looks expensive! A-and we're underdressed!" The younger boy fretted as he watched some classy guests walk inside, while Kouyou merely chuckled.

"It's not  _ that  _ fancy of a place, Yuu. But even if it was, none of those things would matter. You love pasta, right? Come on," Kouyou ushered, shutting off his car before stepping outside. Yuu got out at the same time and quickly made his way over to Kouyou, his smaller body pressing to the side of the president's. Kouyou allowed his arm to wrap around Yuu's shoulders before placing a kiss upon the raven's hair. Yuu accepted the affections without hesitation, but Kouyou forced himself to remove his arm from Yuu once they stepped into the restaurant.

"Private table for two, please," Kouyou said to the waitress at the podium. She gave them a strange look which Kouyou glared at in return, but she bowed without saying more than a "right this way" before she walked in front of the two boys, directing them to a secluded table that looked to have optional curtains for privacy surrounding it.

"Thank you," Kouyou thanked the waitress politely before she left. The blond made sure to pull out Yuu's chair for him before sitting down in his own.

"Such a gentleman," Yuu observed with an impressed smile and a raised eyebrow before moving to look at his menu.

"Well, my parents taught me to be from a young age. Sometimes they take me to business functions, and I always have to be on my best behaviour," Kouyou said to shrug off Yuu's compliment, but internally he was happy to hear the appreciation in his boyfriend's voice. "Get whatever you like. I want my kitten to feel pampered tonight."

"But... Kouyou!"

"No buts. You deserve this," Kouyou smiled warmly, reaching his hand across the table to place it upon Yuu's. "Come on, I know you love pasta."

"I... guess I do."

~

Oh, Yuu really,  _ really  _ loved pasta.

So much so that Kouyou was beyond grateful for the secluded table they had requested.

Because Yuu was slurping up his fettuccine alfredo like Kouyou had never seen somebody eat before. His lips were messy with sauce and he'd already eaten half of his plate, while Kouyou had barely made it through a quarter of his own dinner.

But Yuu couldn’t stop himself from appreciating his meal, the pasta’s taste being the best thing he ever had put in his mouth. The boy felt so blessed sitting on this table, in this particular restaurant with his new boyfriend and he was completely oblivious to the fact that his manners had vanished long time ago. The food was delicious and it made him forget about his surroundings quite fast. 

"Yuu, you should... slow down... you could get indigestion, or something..."

As Kouyou finally commented on Yuu’s eating speed, the teen stopped dead in his tracks.

"But it's so good!" Yuu said after swallowing a bite. At least he had the decency to not speak with his mouth open...

Regardless, Kouyou couldn't bring himself to be mad or even disgusted at Yuu for his behaviour. Because it meant the raven was truly happy with his meal and the establishment Kouyou had taken him for their date, right?

At the other end, Yuu stared at his plate, his eyes traveling to the senior’s meal as well. As he made the comparison in his head, Yuu realized how far his appetite had pushed him tonight and the boy quickly grabbed a napkin, thoroughly cleaning his mouth with it.

“Oh my god…” he spoke shyly. ”I am... so sorry. I completely forgot… I must look so disgusting.”

“You were quite adorable, actually,” Kouyou chuckled. “I wish I was close enough to lick that sauce off your lips, though.” 

The president was absolutely shameless in the way that he spoke, and Yuu merely stared at him, his breathing heavy as he felt hot all over again. Kouyou noticed his embarrassment a second later, and the blond’s hand slowly moved atop Yuu’s, squeezing it in a comforting way.

“Yuu… I know I embarrass you a lot, and as much as I enjoy your flustered face, I wonder… if it’s okay.”

“What do you mean?” Yuu was confused, now, and Kouyou sighed as he searched for the right words.

“I don’t know how to explain it. I love to tease you, but you’re so quiet sometimes, I hope I’m not crossing a line.”

“Kouyou.” Yuu smiled as he realized what his senior was trying to tell him. “You have no idea how many lines I’m ready to cross with you. There are some things I’ll have to get used to, but even if I’m not responsive, it doesn’t mean that I don’t like what you’re doing.”

The smile that appeared on Kouyou’s face then was the most beautiful one Yuu had ever seen from him, and the raven felt like leaning in and kissing him. He mentally cursed at the table between them, and looked away, feeling just as embarrassed as he did moments ago.

“Are you ready to cross all of the lines with me?”

Yuu’s attention was back on the blond now, both of their smiles fading and dissipating from their features.

“As long as… it doesn’t harm you, Kou, I will cross them.” Yuu’s eyebrows locked in a frown, and he felt a different type of tension surrounding them after that.

“I… have never liked a boy before,” Kouyou confessed, his fingers moving nervously atop Yuu’s, “but I want you badly, and I don’t want to make a mistake. I don’t want to hurt you either. If I do something you don’t like, you have to tell me immediately.”

The topic was troubling Kouyou for real now, and Yuu was able to see it written all over the blond’s face as he spoke. Yuu wasn’t stupid, though, and a realization slowly dawned on him a second later, his eyes widening and his lips curving into a smile.

“Are you talking about sex, Kou?”

The older boy froze, his eyes just as wide but terrified, filled with a mixture of shock and astonishment caused by Yuu’s sudden revelation. As the blond didn’t respond, the raven quickly confirmed what he just asked was indeed true and he chuckled softly, his face turning reddish by the second.

“Um… I…” Kouyou was  _ so  _ cute now, being the one in Yuu’s shoes, feeling embarrassed and stunned by his boyfriend's words. “Um… maybe?”

“You really think I’m more innocent than I actually am,” Yuu whispered, more to himself than to the stunned senior in front of him, and he quickly looked away, suddenly feeling nervous by the topic. “I may have never been with someone before, but… I’ve watched porn, you know. I know what this is about, and If I say I’ll be fine with you, I mean it. Stop worrying.”

Kouyou remained speechless, and an awkward silence fell between them which continued for a minute, before Kouyou’s fingers moved and intertwined with Yuu’s, making the raven flinch.

He looked up at Kouyou again, but this time… their stares seemed different, and filled with so many emotions that Yuu wouldn’t be able to tell them apart even if he tried.

“I’m in love with you,” the blond said softly, and Yuu’s heart stilled in his chest. ”I still can’t tell when and how it happened, but I really want to be with you and I’ll do anything I have to—but I’m so new to this, Yuu. You have to teach me.”

Yuu gulped hard as something rose high in his throat, nearly choking him, and the boy realized the full intensity of his feelings for the first time. Kouyou really was different, and possessed everything that Yuu ever dared to dream of in a boyfriend. He was... even  _ more  _ than that, and Yuu felt like crying, not feeling worthy of the person who was holding his hand right now. He knew that he loved Kouyou just as much, and he owed it to the senior… to help him and give him every part of himself that he could.

“Okay, Kouyou. I will." 

There had been so much that Kouyou didn't plan on getting off his chest tonight, but with the way the winds blew, it happened, and the senior didn't regret a thing. He'd opened up to Yuu about his worries concerning the nature of their relationship, and Yuu was more than accommodating towards the senior and his concerns.

Yuu was perfect. As Kouyou had mentioned aloud, he couldn't recall when or how he'd fallen in love with this raven beau; but something he knew for sure was the fact that he had fallen hard for Yuu, and not a single mistake was made in doing so. Yuu reassured him that he'd be with the senior every step of the way, and that was more than Kouyou could have asked for.

To feel so comfortable with someone so soon was a blessing, and Kouyou let his hand clutch Yuu's tightly across the table. To feel the raven reassuringly squeezing his hand back made him smile. 

"I'm so happy, Yuu... you have no idea..."

"I think I might, Kou." The intensity of Yuu's soft gaze was enough to make Kouyou melt. How did the blond get so lucky?

Yuu made eye contact with his food soon after, realizing it wasn't yet finished. "Um, I don't think I want any more..."

"Yuu, I know you want more. I'd be happy if you finished it; I want to know that you've enjoyed our first date so far." Yuu blushed again at that, and Kouyou gave one more reassuring swipe to the top of the raven's hand with his thumb before pulling away. "If I found myself a cute little piggy instead of the kitten I originally thought I had, that's okay. I'd love it just as much."

"Kouyouuuu!" Yuu whined at the innocent teasing, before grabbing his fork a second later. "Fine, you got me."

"That's what I like to hear," Kouyou grinned, watching as Yuu resumed his meal before the senior did the same to his own. He couldn't help but chuckle every now and again as Yuu was almost as messy as he'd been to start out with.

~

"I'm so full!"

"You? Full? I can't believe it," Kouyou remarked, exaggerating his shock as Yuu patted his tummy with his hands.

"I can't believe it either, but it was amazing. Thank you for taking me here, Kouyou."

"Oh, Yuu, it was my pleasure. You don't know how happy I am to hear you enjoyed it."

"You could take me to a junkyard for a date and I'd enjoy it, because I'm with you."

Kouyou laughed aloud at that. "How romantic. I'll consider it for next time."

"Please don't."

The waitress returned soon after, presenting Kouyou with the bill which he promptly paid for. The couple then exited the establishment, Kouyou shamelessly letting his arm drape around Yuu's small waist, holding him close to his body until they entered Kouyou's car again.

"Ah, Yuu. You've still got a little bit there."

"Got what? Where?" Yuu started wiping at his face with his sleeve, clearly worried about having pasta sauce leftover on his face somewhere.

"Nope, nope... right... there," Kouyou chuckled before leaning over towards Yuu, taking him by surprise as he let his tongue flick out to lap at Yuu's lip. "Hmm, maybe you don't. I think it was just your sweet lips calling to me. I think I need another taste..."

"Kouyouuuu!" Yuu complained as he was attacked with vicious kisses and licks all over his face, "it tickles! Stop it!"

"Sorry, I should stop. I need to leave some leftovers for another time." Yuu was  _ so  _ easy to tease, and now to know that the little raven wasn't in objection to Kouyou's advances, the senior just couldn't stop himself. But he had to come to his senses and get Yuu home, unfortunately.

"Do I really have to bring you home?" The blond complained, eyes focused on the outside surroundings as he pulled his car out of the parking lot and onto the road. He let his left hand rest on the wheel and the right one find Yuu's thigh, and he smirked cheekily when the boy flinched.

"You're shameless!" Yuu scolded, playfully grabbing Kouyou's hand by the wrist and throwing it away from his thigh. "Yes, I have to go home. Mom would kill me if she found out you took me to yours instead."

"That's too bad," Kouyou sighed. In truth, he was just joking and pressing at Yuu's buttons, but... "because the thought of bringing you home after our first date and ravaging you makes me quite happy."

_ "Kouyou!!" _

~

The rest of the ride home was filled with innocent (and sometimes not so innocent) teasings and banter as Kouyou drove, and too soon they were pulling into... Kouyou's driveway?

"Kouyou, I told you. I have to get home."

"And you're going home. But I didn't want to do  _ this  _ in your driveway, where your mom could potentially catch us again..."

"Do wh— mmph, Kou," Yuu's sentence was blissfully cut off by the pressure of Kouyou's lips against his. Kouyou shamelessly basked in the feeling of capturing his kitten's mouth with his own, Yuu's lips so soft, so full and still faintly tasting like alfredo. The blond didn't stop his tongue from exiting his parted lips and into Yuu's own soon after, relishing in the hot gasp that he'd forced out of Yuu in doing so.

"Oh, Kouyou..." Yuu was moaning now, and Kouyou rested one of his hands on Yuu's thigh while the other tugged at his raven strands, pulling the boy's face closer to his own as Kouyou so easily dominated the kiss, his tongue twirling sensually around Yuu's.

It wasn't long before Kouyou could feel the familiar heat building in his lower body, and he was now aggressively groping Yuu's thigh as their kiss became messy and full of lust, saliva ringing their mouths and some strands dripping down Yuu's chin, which Kouyou noticed after he'd pulled away a mere centimeter to allow the younger boy some air. Kouyou licked that strand away, leaving his own sinful trail on Yuu's chin as the raven gasped heavily, his arms wrapped around the back of Kouyou's neck and clinging for dear life as his boyfriend was merciless.

"Fuck, Yuu," Kouyou murmured lowly in a husky voice, overtaken by the intense, heated passion he felt for his boyfriend.

While Kouyou had never made out with a boy before, he could tell that no kiss he'd ever shared with a girl in his past had ever felt this  _ right. _ Yuu's lips felt so damn  _ right  _ against his own, the cute moans that were airy and higher-pitched, but low enough for Kouyou to remember that he was making out with a boy. The thought of doing this with a girl repulsed him; he didn't know how he managed going all the way with a girl before, but considering he never wanted to do it again, what he was doing with Yuu right now made all the sense in the world.

Kouyou wanted Yuu. He wanted him so fucking bad.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOWWEE I'M SORRY FOR THE DELAY i went camping for a few days and couldn't find time to edit but i'm home now so here u go

Yuu gasped, breathing heavily and breaking their kiss as soon as he felt Kouyou’s fingers digging at his thigh. The firm grip caused him pain, mixed with intoxicating pleasure, which sent immediate jolts of lust to his lower regions. The raven’s vision was blurred, but he didn’t budge from his position, clinging to the blond as they both tried to fill their lungs with air.

“Yuu…” Kouyou breathed, and his hot breath caressed Yuu’s lips. “Sit on me.”

“W… what?” Yuu barely managed to ask in return, but the blond didn’t wait for a reply, nor the raven’s consent as his words sounded more like command than a proposition. His hands circled down to Yuu’s waist and pulled him closer, coaxing the raven to move from the passenger seat.

Yuu complied immediately, his body trying to move and lift itself; his mind so dizzy, and _so_ focused on his arousal instead, that Yuu found himself straddling the senior a couple of seconds later. It felt cramped sitting in the blond’s lap like this, the steering wheel pressing at his lower back, but the boy ignored it all. The shame and embarrassment he felt was evident, but didn’t stop him from locking their lips into another kiss, his hands holding Kouyou’s face as their tongues danced with each other, producing wet noises which filled the air of the vehicle.

Everything felt so intense, Yuu kept relishing in their moment, obediently answering every single one of Kouyou’s ministrations—even when Kouyou’s hands found their way to grope at Yuu’s buttocks, shamelessly studying their forms, which coaxed the younger into breaking their kiss, and letting a soft, barely-noticeable moan escape his lips.

“Good kitten,” Kouyou smirked, his face just as dazed as Yuu’s who was now blushing madly, his fingers trembling slightly as he kept holding the blond close to himself.

And then Kouyou buried his face under the boy’s chin, his lips finding Yuu’s neck, tasting it a second later.

Yuu’s feelings were in chaos. Only he and Kouyou mattered, and he completely disregarded all of the alarms in his head, his desire for the blond engulfing him. He loved him so much, and he was sure this was exactly what they both had wanted and _needed_ to feel connected with one another. Yuu’s blush was burning his skin at this point, but the boy simply relaxed instead, submitting to the blond’s desires, Kouyou’s hands guiding him towards his warmth. Yuu was so in love. He knew Kouyou already owned him, and had claimed him since the day they first met. Therefore, it was easy for the raven to submit himself and let Kouyou capture him, bounding him even tighter to himself.

Breaths becoming heavier, Yuu’s eyes closed as Kouyou’s teeth nibbled at the soft skin of his neck, slowly and sensually. His head fell back, revealing more of that neck for Kouyou to explore, and he felt his hair being pulled, making his back arch beautifully.

“Kouyou,” Yuu cried out, his voice shaken as he felt dizzier than ever, his arousal growing dangerously.

The blond bit his neck a moment later with a force that made Yuu gasp, and then—

A loud ringing tone echoed throughout the inside of the vehicle, causing Yuu’s eyes to shoot open. He was still breathless, but as the ringing continued, he finally came to his senses and found the strength to push Kouyou away from him.

“Kouyou... that’s… your phone.” Yuu tried to speak as the blond’s lips kept working on his neck, licking at all of the right places, almost making the raven fall back into his previous state.

But the ringing didn’t die down, and instead kept piercing their ears until Kouyou himself growling with frustration before he pulled away from his delicious boyfriend, his hand releasing the black strands of hair. It took some time for the senior to manage to get the phone out of his jacket, and Yuu used that time to his advantage as he tried to come back to his senses quickly.

He didn’t miss the way Kouyou’s face turned pale as he glanced at the screen, and the blond’s fingers shook lightly before answering the call.

“Yes?”

A faint female voice reached Yuu’s ears, but the boy didn’t understand any of her ramblings. Whatever it was, it certainly had an influence on Kouyou, because he looked even more terrified a second later.

“I see. That’s fine though, mom. Don’t worry if you have to stay a couple more days. I’m doing just fine.”

Yuu’s eyes widened and he felt chills run down his spine, his mood from earlier dissipating in seconds until it was completely gone. His hands rested on Kouyou’s chest then, and his fingers moved soothingly on top of it as he tried to show his support and comfort to his boyfriend who looked quite stressed and shocked. The call continued for several minutes more until it ended, and the blond threw his phone onto the back seat in annoyance.

“I’m sorry.” He sighed, his hands resting on Yuu’s hips, and his eyes sad as they both stared at each other. “That was a bit unplanned.”

“What’s going on?” Yuu dared to ask, and the way Kouyou tried to fake a smile almost broke his heart.

“My parents. They were supposed to come back in a week, but it seems they’ll be here sometime tomorrow.”

“Isn’t that… good news?” Yuu bit his lip nervously, and Kouyou smiled at him again.

“I don’t know, honestly.” The blond sighed, defeated, and Yuu leaned in, leaving a soothing peck on the blond’s lips.

“Let’s talk about them some other time, okay?” Kouyou pleaded, and Yuu didn’t object. The boy nodded then, and after Kouyou tasted his lips for the last time, Yuu carefully moved to the passenger seat of the car.

They didn’t talk much for the rest of their ride to the raven’s house, and Yuu gradually grew more worried.

Kouyou faked couple more smiles before they separated, and Yuu didn’t question him as he tried to act normal, as to not trouble the blond even more.

But the senior never left his thoughts that night, and Yuu fell asleep thinking of him, wondering what Kouyou’s family was like, and why his boyfriend reacted the way he did. Their date was the most precious thing Yuu had ever experienced in his life, but the way everything had ended had terrified him. He had never seen Kouyou’s parents, even in a picture, and as he thought about it… the blond didn’t talk much about them, either.

He had to make sure that he would be there when Kouyou needed him, and maybe whatever was troubling him tonight would be shared between their shoulders, and Yuu would be able to help and support his boyfriend through whatever it was that scared him.

~

In a matter of minutes, Kouyou went from being on top of the world, holding his beautiful boyfriend in his arms as they kissed with such fiery passion that Kouyou got hot thinking about it now as he laid in bed, to the saddened, anxious, frightened boy that he had become just after that phone call with his mother.

Letting Yuu go that night had been the most difficult thing to do after receiving the news of his parents' sudden return. Kouyou wanted, more than anything, to be able to sleep with his little kitten in his arms that night, knowing it wasn't going to happen any time soon under his parents' watch. Hell, he probably couldn't even get Yuu into his house without his parents interrogating him about who this new boy was and what his intentions were. They greatly frowned upon Kouyou having relations that weren't school related (besides Akira, because they'd been friends for so long and that boy was unshakable), thinking that their son should be devoting all of his time to the student council, his sports, his school work and his future.

Which Kouyou didn't understand, because they were never home to care for or monitor him. They rarely even called. But when they were home... fuck, just the thought was stressing him out.

The senior's mother was one thing. Even when at home, she was continuously focused on work, ignoring her son and his needs to the point where Kouyou had to learn to take care of himself from a young age. Prior to that, his older sister had always been the one raising him and caring for him more than his mother ever had. Meanwhile, Kouyou's father...

To say the least, Kouyou didn't get along very well with his father. When he was home, he nagged and he judged, not offering an ounce of compassion towards his son despite the boy's accomplishments. He always wanted him to be better than he currently was, which was beginning to prove impossible. He hovered and he was constantly on Kouyou's ass, and Kouyou already knew he wouldn't be able to see Yuu while his father was home. His mother? Kouyou could easily sneak away from her, as she was always in their home office. But Kouyou's father, goddamn...

Another thing was that Kouyou had no idea how the man would react to his son being in a relationship with someone other than a pretty, high-status girl, most preferably someone like Yumi. It was bad enough that Yuu wasn't on the school council. Yuu was a boy. And Kouyou could already tell that his father would be very, very opposed to the idea of his son being gay.

Yuu was so lucky to have a mom like Ms. Shiroyama. Kouyou envied him to the ends of the earth.

The senior let out an exasperated sigh as he pulled the sheets higher up to his nose and his shiba closer to his body. He pretended it was Yuu's warmth.

_Yuu..._

Kouyou already missed him so much. Their evening had been absolutely perfect; and now, thanks to a single phone call, Kouyou could only focus on the negatives. But the thought of the raven still bright Kouyou solace. His boyfriend. The boy he loved so dearly.

Kouyou wanted Yuu back. And he didn't know how to do that. Not with his parents home.

That night, the blond slept the worst he had in a long time.

But not before sending his beau a text message.

Kouyou: Goodnight, my beautiful raven ♡

~

Yuu: Good morning Kouyou :)

Kouyou: Good morning my lovely

Kouyou: I miss you so much

Yuu: I miss you too. Hope everything is ok.

Kouyou: It is when I'm talking to you.

Yuu: Oh, you're such a romantic :P

Kouyou: My kitten loves it though, doesn't he?

Yuu: Maybe ;~; ♡

Those few text messages that Kouyou shared with Yuu after he'd woken up made the blond feel as though he didn't have a single problem in the world. When he was with Yuu, all of his worries disappeared. He wasn't thinking of his parents. He wasn't thinking about his fate. He was only thinking about Yuu.

The raven lounged in bed for a while, texting with Yuu back and forth until the raven said he was going on a lunch date with his mom.

Kouyou: Wish it was me going on that date with you. Have fun, though ♡

Yuu: I wish it was you, too. You're embarrassing, but my mom is way worse lol

Oh, what Kouyou wouldn't give for a mom who loved him and embarrassed him.

Yuu: Take care Kou. I miss you already

Kouyou: I miss you too baby. So much.

The senior sighed as he sent what would probably be his last message with his boyfriend for a while. He forced himself out of bed soon after, thinking that making breakfast would be a good distraction for him.

His shiba kept him good company as he made, you guessed it, pancakes, because they reminded him of Yuu.

Kouyou sighed sadly once he sat down to eat them, remembering that the last time he'd sat down at this table was when he'd cooked pancakes for Yuu the day he woke up hungover. Before they were together.

God, Kouyou was so in love. He would give anything to have his boyfriend by his side right now, comforting him with his presence alone.

Kouyou wanted nothing more than to have Yuu back in his arms again.

~

_Bark, bark!_

"Shiro, quiet down..."

_Bark! Bark bark!_

"Shiro! I said—"

"I'll get the butler to bring the rest of our luggage in."

"Thank you. I'll unpack in a little while, but first I need to go check some emails in the office."

Those voices, they could only be…

...Kouyou's parents.

They were home. And all Kouyou could do was scrub the dishes angrily as he listened to them arrive, not bothering to go over and greet them as they returned from their few months-long business trip. He began to wonder if they'd even notice him...

"Oh, Kouyou! There's my son," he heard his mother say, but he didn't feel her come and give him a hug, greet him with love, or tell him how much she missed him. She had already fled to the home office without so much as an "I missed you" or "I love you".

"Hello, Kouyou." His father. As stern as always, as unloving and as unforgiving. Kouyou didn't turn around to face him.

"Hello," he merely replied coldly.

"I trust that you've been keeping at the top of your classes and maintaining your duties as student president."

"Yes." Kouyou's replies remained short as he finished up the last of the dishes, scrubbing them more vigorously than he needed to. "I'm going upstairs," he then announced, feeling his father's eyes burning holes into his back.

"To study, I hope. You need to get that math grade up or there will be consequences, Kouyou."

"Yes." And then the boy was off.

Jesus, what was Kouyou going to do?

~

Yuu was sitting in a small restaurant with his mother on the opposite side of the table. They rarely had the time to go out like this, and the teen was happy that they were out like a family again. They both needed this comfort and closeness, especially after all of the events that had shaken their world recently, making them shout and fight over things that shouldn’t have been damaging.

But they were, and despite how guilty Yuu constantly felt ever since he realized the truth about his sexuality, he couldn’t change that aspect of his life even if he wanted to. He had someone to help him carry that weight, now, and Yuu’s heart and thoughts were filled with love instead of worry and pain.

Their plates arrived a moment later, full of their favorite pasta and the boy licked his lips as he tried to tie his hair back, mindlessly and completely oblivious to the shock that showed up on his mother's face as he did so.

He was ready to start on his meal, when her words made him freeze.

“What do you have on your neck?”

Yuu looked at her, his mind pondering about what she could possibly mean by that, and then it dawned on him a second later. He had totally forgotten about the small signs of Kouyou’s affection that he had managed to notice on his neck this morning but totally forgot about, and the raven quickly removed the tie, his hair falling back in place, hiding it all. He felt pressured and, most of all, embarrassed, looking away and not daring to look at his mother who... seemed quite amused by what just happened.

“Oh, I see…” she commented. and Yuu’s body tensed up, knowing that the woman wasn’t stupid and had probably figured him out already. “So….you didn’t come home immediately after band practice yesterday, hm?”

Yuu didn’t respond, instead staring at his fingers as they played with the fork laying on the napkin carefully folded next to his dish. He couldn’t lie to her and he didn’t want to, but he couldn’t open his mouth either and confirm her suspicions. The woman took his silence as a “yes” anyways, and crossed her arms in a scolding manner before she spoke again.

“Where have you and Kouyou been all evening?”

Yuu took a small breath and bit his lip, still avoiding her gaze. “We were on a date.”

“I see.” The woman hummed then, and Yuu felt even more embarrassed by the way she caught him doing this behind her back.

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t get me wrong, darling.” His mother’s voice sounded much softer, now, and Yuu found the courage to look at her again, her expression calm and her lips upturned in a smile. “I don’t mind that you two went on a date, but you’re still grounded, and despite that I let you go to practices, it doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want, you know?”

“I know, mama.” Yuu responded with a defeated tone that made the woman chuckle a little.

“Okay… well, since we’re still on the Kouyou topic, and your father is nowhere near to give you _The Talk...”_ Yuu frowned at that, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. “I think it’s time to have a little chit chat about relationships and sex and whatnot.”

_“Mom.”_  Yuu’s voice was stern and he glared at the space next to them, avoiding her gaze. He was totally _not_ in the mood to discuss such things with his cocky parent, knowing that her teasings was inevitable at this point. “I’m all good, please, let’s change the subject.”

“You are not running away from this talk, young man,” she retorted, and Yuu rolled his eyes, but didn’t protest further. She was just like him when it came to proving her points; maybe even slightly worse than he was...

“First off...” she trailed off, and Yuu flinched. “I thought Kouyou was straight? What happened?”

The raven sighed at that, and his mind tried to recall all that had happened between him and the blond recently. It took him few seconds, but even then he wasn’t sure how to begin.

“I don’t know honestly. We got really close…” he glanced at his mother briefly, but her cheeky smile only embarrassed him more. “He said… he already liked me for a while. We were acting weird and even I noticed that, but I was also really scared of losing him. I tried hard, not to read much into it. He also said…” Yuu licked his lips, realizing what he was about to say, his heart quickening in his chest. “He told me he was in love with me, and I trust him.”

His mother went silent at that and the boy looked down at his hands, which were now laying in his lap.

“If you trust him, then I trust him too.” She answered, sighing before speaking up again. “You two just got together, but it’ll be a hard road for you two. Is he sure that he’s ready for this and the consequences of it?”

“That’s what he told me last night,” Yuu said, lifting up his head to meet her worried gaze.

“I know you will hide well, but… I have to warn you, there will always be someone who will be suspicious of you. Everything will be fine, as long as it remains as it is: suspicion.”

“I know,” Yuu nodded.

“I don’t think the problem lies only in the fact that you’re gay, though. There are other factors that could damage you a lot more.”

Yuu was confused again and his eyebrows furrowed, making his mother shift in her chair uncomfortably this time.

“At your old school. I think people wouldn’t have been as cruel if Takanori hadn’t said that you attacked him. The biggest problem was that he was popular and the crowd jumped to defend him, not even considering the possibility that he was probably lying, and you had your side of the story too.”

As Yuu thought about it now, he realized his mother had a point in there. Takanori was the best in everything he did, from music to arts and every activity he was into. But back then, the boy was also vain to an extent, depending on his image too much; therefore, Takanori was scared enough to push the raven down off the train and eliminate all possibilities of someone ever coming at him with proof to destroy that image.

The image that same boy had now given up completely, and had finally accepted himself. Something Yuu wished he could do… but he couldn’t, at least not now.

“Kouyou is popular and from a wealthy family, am I right?”

“Yes,” Yuu responded quietly, waiting for his mother to continue.

“I’m not scared of your school or classmates, because I know Kouyou would never do what Takanori did. Even if something is revealed in the future, things will go much smoother for you two because Kouyou will stand up and defend you himself. He’s likable and has a big influence on other people, but… what worries me is his family. What are they like?”

Yuu froze again, remembering the way Kouyou’s face paled yesterday as his parents were mentioned before he dropped the raven home. The blond didn’t seem well, and Yuu was still worried about him even now, as they haven’t texted since the raven had went out with his mom.

“I don’t know, I’ve never met them,” Yuu confessed, his hands trembling in his lap. “Kouyou told me they’re not here very often, and he’s alone most of the time. But they’re supposed to come home today, I think. That’s what he told me.”

“I see.” His mother wore a thoughtful look, and she glanced away for the first time since their talk began. “Time will tell, I guess. It’s quite early to think about them yet, but still. I just want to make sure that you’re prepared for what might come.”

“I am mom, I really am, please don’t worry,” he begged and smiled genuinely as their gazes locked on each other again. The woman nodded and prepared to eat her pasta as they sealed their silent agreement that all was fine for now.

“You can tie back your hair, I won’t be teasing you while you eat,” she commented, and Yuu hesitated for a moment but quickly tied his hair back before proceeding to his dish.

The woman then smirked cheekily at him.

“Have you two had sex yet, though?”

_“Mom!!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> breathe if you love mama shiroyama


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello dudes two chapters in two days you're welcome

Spring break had ended and everyone was back at school. Yuu was climbing the stairs to his first class, his attention locked on the phone in his hand as students rushed past him. He haven’t seen Kouyou since their date a couple of days ago because the blond had been occupied with his family, the blond's father taking him to some kind of private matter the day before—and Yuu couldn’t wait to see his boyfriend again. It appeared that he would have to wait a little longer, though, as Kouyou’s next message appeared on the raven’s phone screen.

Kouyou: My parents will drop me off at school. My father is having his usual talk with the principle

Kouyou: I won’t see you before lunch break :( ;(

Yuu: Don’t worry. It’s only few hours away

Yuu: I can’t wait to see you.

Kouyou: I can’t wait either

Kouyou: I miss my kitten so much.

Yuu chuckled softly to himself.

Yuu: I’m at school already

Yuu: Stop being embarrassing.

Kouyou: Ohhhh, my little raven is blushing right now, isn’t he?

Indeed, Yuu was tomato red by the end of it, preparing to type his next message and shut the blond up for good—when something bumped into him quite harshly, shoving him back.

Everything happened so quick, the raven stumbled back and lost his balance, falling on his ass a second later. His books splayed around him and his phone slipped through his fingers, falling down the stairs he had just climbed, and were dangerously close to where he was sitting on the floor now.

“Oh… I’m so sorry, Yuu.” Yumi’s high-pitched voice pierced his ears, and Yuu glared at the girl who hovered over him, offering a hand to help him stand. “I’m really sorry! I didn’t see you at all. Are you alright?”

Her smile was so fake his insides stirred, making him feel sick to his stomach. He didn’t take her hand and, instead, quickly gathered his books, standing up on his own. He then looked around and saw a student standing beside him, holding his… very wrecked phone.

“Here, Yuu. It cracked open, but I tried to put it together. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Yuu faked a smile, despite the way his heart was breaking at the sight of his demolished phone. “Don’t worry, just run to class.” He sighed as he took the device in his hand.

The younger student ran in the opposite direction, and Yuu faced the girl who was still standing there… waiting for a reaction.

"Oh my god, Yuu, do you want me to pay for it?” she squealed, seeing the broken thing in his hold and Yuu glared again, unable to hide his frustration.

“Just leave it. I have to get to class.”

Like hell he would want anything from her… ever. Especially after he knew this wasn’t an accident at all. He moved past her and walked down the corridor, getting to his class as fast as he could. He used the remaining minutes of their break to examine his phone and try to switch it on, despite its wrecked display.

But the device remained dead and Yuu almost felt like crying, knowing that his mother was in no state to replace it right now. It would take time and the boy wondered how he would stay in contact with Kouyou now, when they weren’t together. He missed him, even now, as he stared at the cracked, black display, and he cursed at the world as he fell into more thoughts about the certain blond he already missed so much.

~

"Kouyou, it's time for us to go."

"I'm coming."

...

"Now, Kouyou."

"Alright!"

Kouyou had been sending a few texts back and forth before his father called him, letting his boyfriend know about his situation and that they wouldn't be able to see one another until lunch time. The thought made Kouyou miserable. He had looked forward to seeing Yuu before school and in between classes; it was like, _their thing._ Yuu no longer needed assistance, he could find his way around the school without an issues. But Kouyou had continued insisting on escorting the raven to his classes, before they were together.

And now Kouyou understood exactly why he'd acted that way, and why he had eaten lunch with the new boy for far longer than any other student that the president had shown around.

It had been because Kouyou was in love with that new boy.

And now that new boy was his, and Kouyou had been looking forward to spending their first day back at school as boyfriends. Even though Kouyou couldn't show Yuu off, he and Yuu both knew about their true natures, and that was enough for Kouyou. The senior looked at it as being their own little secret. How exciting.

"I don't appreciate that attitude, son. Do you forget who pays your bills and gives you such a luxurious house to spend your days in?"

And all because of his father, Kouyou's plans had been ruined.

"I apologize." Kouyou bowed once he made his way downstairs with his things, turning his phone on silent and tucking it away to make sure that if he received a text from Yuu on the way to school, Kouyou's father wouldn't notice and get curious.

"Good, because I shouldn't have to remind you," the man scolded, and only then did Kouyou take the time to look at his father after not seeing him for a month. He was well-kept, as he had to be considering the daily business functions he attended with his wife, but he looked exhausted, his hair grey and his eye bags prevalent. Kouyou almost felt bad for him—but exhausted or not, his father's attitude was his father's attitude, and the senior despised the way the man treated him: as nothing but a trophy son.

Because of that, Kouyou's attitude towards his father wasn't the best either, and their relationship was weak. The blond knew he was also to be blamed, but in the end, it had been his father that caused him to act this way.

"Get in the car," the man ordered soon after, and Kouyou could do nothing but bow his head and exit the building with his supplies before throwing them in the back seat of the sleek sports car that his father owned, and then going to sit in the passenger's seat. His father made his way into the driver's side, and Kouyou kept his gaze focused on nothing in particular outside of the window, his thoughts already occupied with a certain raven-haired boy.

He hoped Yuu was okay.

_Kouyou, Yuu can take care of himself..._

_But I still want to be there for him,_ the senior argued with himself within his mind.

He wasn't worried about Yuu. He was worried about others who may still try to mess with him; others like Yumi, or Hana, even...

Fuck.

"How long do I have to stay with you during your talk with the principal?" Kouyou asked, his voice monotone as he watched the scenery roll by with disinterest.

"For as long as you need to stay with us," his father shot back as a reply, and Kouyou squirmed in his seat uncomfortably.

"I can't miss class as the student president. You know that."

The man driving the car's knuckles turned white as his grip on the steering wheel went tight at his son's words. "It doesn't matter, Kouyou. I'll take care of things."

Kouyou wasn't surprised to see his father slip a few bills of cash to the principal when they arrived.

~

The president was relieved to be let out before second period started, because if he was quick, he could meet up with Yuu and walk the raven to his class. Kouyou got giddy thinking about it.

He send a text off to Yuu to find out his location, so he could meet the boy there.

But when no text in return came after five minutes, Kouyou was slouching his shoulders sadly as he realized he had to make it to his own class. And then the worry set in once he sat down, quickly opening his phone back up to reveal no text still. What was up with that? Yuu usually replied so quickly.

He couldn't let himself linger on it, though. Maybe the raven was caught up in conversation with Yutaka, or something.

"Hey, Kou!"

Akira.

Kouyou stopped walking, facing the direction in which he heard his best friend calling him. "Woah, Kouyou. You look like you've just done some hardcore drugs. And you didn't share! Fuck you."

Thank god, honestly. His best friend was the perfect distraction from Yuu and his lack of communication that Kouyou was overly anxious about.

"Excuse me, Mr. Suzuki, I don't think you should be speaking to your student president that way," Kouyou shot back with a smirk, coming back down to earth from his worrying thoughts. "To be clear, though, I didn't do any drugs."

Akira punched him playfully on the shoulder before leaning against a locker. "I'm your best friend, I can say whatever the hell I want to you."

"Oh, shut up," Kouyou laughed back, resisting the urge to give Akira a punch in return.

"What's up, though? You don't look so good," Akira observed, raising an eyebrow as his eyes glanced over Kouyou's tired features.

"Haven't... been sleeping well lately," Kouyou lied, but Akira saw right through it as he shook his head. Scowling, the president lowered his voice to a whisper. "I'll tell you later. Um, have you seen Yuu at all today?"

"I haven't, but none of our classes are near each other, I don't think." Akira gave him a quizzical look. "Why?"

"I texted him before this class started, and he hasn't responded..."

"Lunch is next, you'll see him then," Akira reassured him, to which Kouyou merely sighed.

"Yeah."

And then the two seniors went their separate ways for their second classes.

~

Kouyou: Yuu?

Kouyou: Are you there? We're still eating lunch together, aren't we?

Yuu still hadn't replied to Kouyou's first texts. Maybe he'd reply to the second ones?

"Kouyouuuu!"

Oh, you had to be fucking kidding.

"Yes, Yumi?" He turned to face the pest, his face plastered with the fakest, yet most believable smile he could muster as the blond girl trotted up to him.

"Don't forget we have a council meeting during lunch today! And we have a new student arriving soon."

"What?" No, no, no! Kouyou wanted to see Yuu! Not receiving texts from his boyfriend had been driving him insane, he needed to see him.

And… a new student? This late in the year?

"So you did forget. Something else on your mind? Wanna talk about it?" She asked, a certain kind of venom dripping from her sickeningly sweet voice as she walked uncomfortably close to Kouyou. She was smirking, and her eyes were half-lidded as she looked up at him.

"No. I'll be there. Goodbye, Yumi."

And then he backed away from her, quickly making his way to the conference room where the meeting would be held—but not before shooting another text off to Yuu, and then one to Akira for good measure.

Kouyou: Yuu, surprise council meeting during lunch today. I'm so so so sorry, I'll make it up to you somehow. I miss you ♡

Kouyou: Akira, find Yuu and tell him there was a surprise council meeting during lunch this period please. He still won't answer my texts

Akira: Yea no problem. I see him now. Omg he looks so sad lol

Kouyou: Akira!!!!! Don't tell me that. Just go talk to him please

Akira: Fine fine lol

Akira: Btw ur really obvious

Kouyou: Shut up.

Akira: Haha u and I are gonna have a talk soon bro

Kouyou: Whatever. Just go talk to Yuu!

Akira: OK I'M GOING

Well, at least Kouyou knew Yuu was safe. As he entered the meeting, he sat down at the head of the table, Yumi to his right somewhere as she tried to snag a chair close to him. He ignored her, as he did the rest of the members. His mind was racing right now.

Yuu. His parents. The fact that Akira definitely knew something was up.

God help Kouyou.

~

"Don’t worry, Yuu.” Yutaka gave a comforting pat to the raven’s shoulder as they walked towards their next class. “I’m sure you’ll get a new phone sooner than you think. Just have to survive until then somehow. When’s your birthday?”

“In January…” Yuu sighed, the pain in his chest growing as Yutaka’s smile vanished immediately.

“Um… well, you’re screwed.”

“Thank you, Yutaka. I had no idea.” Yuu’s sarcastic tone was rude, and the raven felt pity for the cheery brunette next to him, but he couldn’t help his frustration, either.

“Yuu!”

Akira’s voice reached Yuu’s ears and the boy turned around, hoping desperately that a certain blond was with him, but… Kouyou was still nowhere to be seen.

Yuu grew worried instantly, and he kept scanning his surroundings as he tried to spot Kouyou somewhere, Akira reaching their spot a second later.

“Yuu, Kouyou said he has a council meeting to attend, and won’t be coming to lunch.”

The raven’s heart sank immediately, his feelings spinning in a newfound chaos, wrecking his insides. He missed Kouyou so much, and _needed_ him. The raven had waited for their lunch with such anticipation that the disappointment right now worsened his mood even more.

What had he done to deserve this day? Why did everything seem to be against him now, after he finally had Kouyou in his grasp… or at least, it was supposed to be that way, but fate had different plans, apparently.

“He said you haven’t texted him back. Is everything okay?” Akira asked, his tone serious, and Yuu licked his lips nervously.

“I fell this morning and my phone broke.”

“He didn’t fall!” Yutaka corrected him with an angry tone, and Yuu tried to give him a sign to not speak further, but it was too late. “Yumi hit him, that’s why he fell.”

“Um… she bumped into me, it was an accident,” Yuu murmured and then looked away. He still felt embarrassed by the fact that a girl had knocked him down.

“Kouyou will be mad,” Akira stated with a smile on his face, looking oddly delighted by the newfound information; Yuu was quick to throw a suspicious look at him, but didn’t dare say anything about the matter. Was he missing out on something here?

They boys proceeded to their lunch then and Akira invited himself, sitting at the table which Yuu and Yutaka usually chose for themselves.

Yuu didn’t mind, but Yutaka had to endure another blow of silly names and teasings thrown at him by their cocky senior. Akira really seemed to enjoy making their friend suffer, and as much as he didn’t want to admit it… Yuu loved watching them as their arguments never ceased to amuse him.

He remained silent, as always, and drifted into thoughts of his boyfriend until his name was mentioned and his attention was back on the two students who still seemed to have a quite heated conversation going on.

“Why is it that you never tease Yuu? You only tease me!” Yutaka pouted, raising his voice.

“Because Kouyou would kill me,” Akira retorted with a calm face and a bored look in his eyes, which caused Yuu to fall into a panic.

“What?” the raven asked with a timid voice, which was quickly overpowered by his friend’s next words.

“Why would he? It’s not like they’re dating or something!”

Yuu’s face flared up instantly and he simply looked away, hoping that they would drop the subject and just continue on with their ramblings. Akira seemed to be on his side as he tried to change the subject, but not without winking at the raven with a cocky smile which sent Yuu’s feelings into frenzy.

What the hell was going on? Why was Akira acting like this?

...Did Kouyou slip up?

Oh. fuck. They had to talk, and soon. If things kept going like they were, there would be no telling in what would happen.

Lunch turned out to be more boring than Yuu had anticipated, and he missed his boyfriend terribly. He couldn’t believe how dependent he had grown to be on his senior, but Kouyou was such a big part of his life right now. Yuu found that he had fallen for him even more since their date occurred, and they hadn’t even seen each other since then.

As the trio walked down the corridor, finally heading to their last classes for the day, Yuu caught sight of a certain dirty blond shade of hair amongst the crowd of students and his heart hitched.

As soon as he realised it was Takanori walking towards them, the raven stilled his breath and his body froze as he managed to spot his tall boyfriend walking behind him. His eyes then fell on their vocalist’s clothes only to realize the school uniform looked just like his, and Yuu’s breathing became rapid. Akira stopped in his tracks next to him, looking just as shocked at the approaching bandmates, and Yutaka broke their silence first.

“Oh… yeah, by the way, Takanori just transferred to our school. Forgot to tell you guys.”

But Yuu couldn’t manage to react to Yutaka’s words, his eyes fixated on his boyfriend instead, who looked too excited to see him. He moved past their vocalist and as he finally reached their spot, the blond went straight to Yuu, leaning in and throwing Yuu into another anxious frenzy. The raven’s instincts reacted immediately to the dangerous proximity, their faces only few inches apart, when his hand pushed Kouyou’s chest away in order to prevent a disaster from happening.

They both stilled their bodies and stared at each other, their breathing heavy as Yuu finally withdrew his hand and looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment. Akira’s eyebrow rose at them and his cheeky smile made Yuu feel afraid and strangely humiliated, yet again.

Kouyou never learned, did he?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gasp


	24. Chapter 24

_ Kouyou did you really just fucking— _

_ Yes I did oh Jesus Christ Yuu is gonna be so mad... _

Kouyou's internal scolding with himself was cut short as he realized Akira had seen him, and the senior was quick to clear this throat and dissipate the awkward tension in the air. He stood back up straight before narrowing his eyes at his best friend who was now trying not to laugh.

Yuu's hands had retracted themselves from Kouyou's chest, and as he saw the sheer terror in his boyfriend's eyes at Kouyou's thoughtless advance, he knew that the raven would definitely want to have a talk with him soon. The blond cursed himself internally; he thought he was going to be able to control himself much better, but after not seeing Yuu all day and not being in contact with him, the president hadn't been able to resist himself from trying something with Yuu despite their public location. Now he has realized his mistake, though, and vowed not to let it happen again.

Kouyou crossed his arms as he set the focus on Takanori, which was probably the biggest shock to them all right now, for which he was thankful. The president didn't need the watchful eyes of his and Yuu's friends right now.

"As you guys can see, Takanori has recently moved and become a student of our school. So please, make him feel welcome." Even though the senior was only with his friends at the moment, he felt the need to put on his most confident, presidential persona, mostly to distract himself from what had just happened with Yuu.

"This is great! We can have band practices all the time now!" Yutaka suddenly exclaimed, running over to give his cousin a big hug. The rest of them chuckled while Takanori scowled.

"Watch the hair!" The short blond scolded as he tried to pry Yutaka off of him, but to no avail.

"Yutaka, I have to show Takanori to his classes. Please release him. Yuu, Akira, you should be getting to class as well." Oh, god... Yuu's face had fallen instantly at Kouyou's words, and the senior felt a heavy pang in his chest at the sight. He wanted, so desperately, to walk his boyfriend to his class after being so deprived of contact with him, but time was running out and, right now, Takanori was the priority, which Kouyou couldn't ignore in his position of student president.

But he hadn't even found out why Yuu had stopped texting him earlier in the day. He was relieved to find his boyfriend alive and well, but the loss of contact had been nagging at him.

"Alright, see you Kou," Akira waved off with a cheeky smirk that only Kouyou had caught. What a bastard.

"Bye, Taka! Hopefully we have some classes together!" Yutaka called once Takanori had managed to pry the little parasite off of himself. "I'll make sure Yuu gets to class, Kouyou! Don't worry!" And then before Kouyou could protest or even respond, their drummer had already hooked his arm around Yuu's and was stealing him away.

"Jesus, Kouyou. You've got it bad."

"Wh—?! Shut up, Taka," Kouyou snapped back, his voice a whisper.

"Chill out, Mr. President. I'm just giving the facts," Takanori sneered back with a smirk, observing his manicured nails (was that all the little blond did?). "By the way, these uniforms? Pretty ugly. A step forward from the uniforms at my old school, but still worthy of an upgrade."

Having Takanori around from now on was going to be a fucking nightmare—Kouyou could see it already. "Alright, I'll bring it up at the next student council meeting. Now let's get you to class."

~

Kouyou wasn't surprised to end up dropping Takanori off at an aesthetics class before he made it to his own: math.

As he hurriedly scribbled down the notes and tried to listen to his teacher talk, Kouyou found himself getting lost in thoughts of his beautiful raven beau more than once.

Yuu was supposed to be helping him pass this course, but he was just one more reason for why he was failing it. Kouyou chuckled softly at the thought before his mind went other directions.

He seriously hoped he hadn't upset Yuu, and Kouyou, although scared of what Yuu might say, wanted to talk this out with his boyfriend as soon as possible. He couldn't stand the thought of Yuu being angry at him.

"Kouyou, can you tell us the next step?"

Oh, fuck.

"Uh..." Kouyou tried to make sense of what mathematical magic was happening in front of him, and he rambled off something he thought was correct. But when students around him started to snicker to themselves, he knew he'd gotten it wrong.  _ Goddammit. _

"Not quite, but good try," the teacher responded with a sigh as he went back to writing on the board. When he did, Kouyou quickly whipped out his phone and sent off a text to Yuu. Maybe he'd get it this time.

Kouyou: Hello kitten

Kouyou: Can we do a tutoring session tonight? Probably at my house because I doubt my dad will trust me getting tutored at someone else's.

The senior needed any excuse to see his boyfriend under his current circumstances, and, well, he needed the extra math help. He knew he wouldn't be able to get away with more than tutoring with Yuu tonight, because the senior's father watched him like a hawk more often than not.

But it was worth a try.

~

Yuu was back in class, his boredom in the subject happening to be more tortuous than usual. The information his teacher was showing them was already present in the raven’s mind as he had tried to go over a couple of lessons in advance, just because he didn’t have much to do at home. Not only that, but his thoughts were most often occupied by a certain blond president, which was more than enough to make him feel miserable. He was angry, worried, and  _ so  _ tired all at the same time, his day being a total train wreck thus far, and Yuu couldn’t wait for the time when he would be able to finally reunite with the blond.

Yuu had to have a serious talk with his boyfriend, too, because the way their slips were gradually growing was becoming dangerous for them both. Yuu still couldn’t believe Kouyou had almost tried to kiss him in the school corridors earlier, despite the fact they were surrounded by students, half of them probably his fans, watching their president closely every time they had the chance. The raven prayed that no one had caught a glance of them and their awkward moment, but knowing his luck, Yuu was sure something was coming for him.

And he proved to be right immediately after his class ended, where he and Yutaka exited the classroom only to find an agitated Takanori waiting for them outside.

The blond approached Yuu and caught his wrist in a tight grip. “We need to talk.”

“Wait, what? I have one more class left…” the raven tried to protest, but the shorter boy dragged him away from Yutaka almost immediately, completely ignoring his protests.

Takanori managed to pull his friend further down the corridors until they reached a couple of empty classrooms and Yuu was pushed into one of them, the shorter boy closing the door shut behind them.

“What is wrong with you?” Yuu asked with a shaken voice, once he saw the strange grin on Takanori’s face.

“We have to talk. You have no idea how hard it was to get rid of Kouyou.”

“You’re right, I don’t,” Yuu barked, and Takanori crossed his arms, rising an eyebrow at him.

“I’m sure.” The blond’s grin sent chills down Yuu’s spine. “You two are together, am I right?”

“What?” Yuu stared at the boy in front of him with disbelief as he tried to fake his surprise and deny it all, but with no success. “Are you nuts? What made you th—”

“Just drop that facade, because I don’t believe you. We’re running out of time and I am not letting you go before we talk about this.”

Yuu didn’t respond. His heart was racing in his chest and he cursed at himself, knowing that he wasn’t a good liar and even if he tried to defend himself, it would result in something much more embarrassing. It was a lost battle already, considering they both knew each other too well, and Yuu had no choice but to submit and confess his “secret”.

He sighed a second later, biting his lip nervously before speaking up. “Yes, Kouyou is my boyfriend now. Can you please tell me what this is about?”

“You’re so tense,” Takanori chuckled, and Yuu shot him a glare.

“You think? Good job, Sherlock.”

“No, I mean... all the time. He’s all over you, and you’re just so… so cute and  _ obvious  _ by pushing him away.”

“How the hell does that make me look cute or obvious?” Yuu was losing his patience. “You know how bad things could get if someone finds out. Can you imagine how it would ruin him? I can’t let that happen. And now, after his parents are here, he has to be even more careful. My sexuality destroyed my family, I can’t let that happen to him too...”

“Yuu, calm down, please. Jesus.” Takanori stepped forward, caressing the raven’s shoulder in a soothing manner.

Yuu stopped talking and blinked couple of times as he tried to ease his heartbeat. His nerves were already hanging on a thin line that was threatening to break at any moment now, and he hadn’t even realized this pressure had built up inside of him until now. 

“You’re worrying too much again,” Takanori smiled and Yuu closed his eyes for a moment, trying desperately to clear his mind and calm his senses. “Nothing bad will happen. If you worry about everything all the time, you won’t be able to enjoy all of your time together. Besides, Kouyou is a little dumb, but he’s learning. Everything will be fine.”

Yuu laughed softly and looked away, avoiding the gaze of the smaller boy in front of him. He was getting embarrassed again.

“Anyways… I just wanted to tell you I’m on your side,” Takanori sighed, seeing his friend gradually easing up. “I think it’s okay if it’s known between us in the band. I think Akira knows about Kouyou’s feelings for you, too.”

“What?”

“Yeah, don’t be surprised—they  _ are  _ best friends, after all. I’m sure Kouyou even asked Akira for advice at some point,” the little blond reassured with a smile, “but, I think you two will feel a lot better if you don’t have to hide around us, at least.”

“And Yutaka?”

“Leave him to me. He’s very accepting of me, so I think we’ll be all good.”

“Why are you doing all of this?” Yuu’s voice was low and timid. His eyes were sparkling, filling with a certain type of liquids that startled Takanori.

“I loved you, you know. Since I’ve wronged you in more ways than one, I wanted to help you somehow. I just want you to be happy.”

Yuu couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but it made him feel content, and somehow calmer around Takanori. The boy’s words sounded so genuine and, even though he had apologized to Yuu before, he seemed much more vulnerable, and honest. Yuu felt somewhat happy by the way their newfound friendship was progressing so far, and he trusted this boy for some reason. It was odd, but Yuu was calm, and he knew it was all thanks to the soothing words that Takanori just granted him.

“Thank you, Taka,” Yuu whispered, and smiled at the boy for the first time.

“By the way.” Takanori’s face changed all of a sudden, and his lips curved into a sheepish smile. “Is Akira straight?”

Yuu was speechless only for a couple of seconds before his eyes widened in an astonishment that made his insides stir.

“You fucking did not…”

“What? He’s ugly, but  _ so  _ adorable. And he smells nice. He smells  _ really  _ nice.”

Yuu was beyond amazed by the sudden revelation and he facepalmed, still not believing what was going on. Takanori had been here for only for a week, maybe a couple of days more. When did he have the time to develop a crush on his boyfriend’s best friend?

“When the hell did you  _ sniff him?” _

“Believe me, Yuu, knowing you and how embarrassed you get, you won’t handle the details even if I give them to you.”

The new smile morphing on Takanori’s face frightened Yuu, but they didn’t delve into the new topic any further as the bell announcing their next class echoed through the empty classroom. The boys left the room in a flash and ran in opposite directions, knowing that they were late for their next period, but Yuu didn’t feel bothered by it for the first time in his life, his thoughts occupied by his boyfriend again.

~

At the end of the day, Kouyou was disappointed but not surprised to glance at his phone, only to find out that no reply from Yuu had been sent to him. He let out a sigh before gathering up his things and making his way out of the classroom, because he didn't understand why Yuu wasn't texting him, and at this point, the senior was worried. Had he done something wrong? Considering they hadn't talked since that morning, and Kouyou's slip-up after lunch...

He quickly shook his head free of the thought as he decided he'd have to go out and search for his boyfriend himself, if the raven wasn't going to respond via text. If Yuu was upset, Kouyou wanted to know why, so he could fix it.

Kouyou wasn't ready to fuck up his first real relationship so soon, with a beautiful boy that he loved to pieces, nonetheless. He was willing to do whatever it took to make things right between them. Kouyou would patch up all of his mistakes, for Yuu. Because he loved him and he didn't want to lose him.

The first place the senior had checked for Yuu was at his locker, and to his immense relief, the raven was there, flanked by Yutaka and Takanori—but something in Kouyou’s gut twisted when he saw how casually the shorter blond had his arm draped over Yuu’s shoulders and neck, holding him far too close for comfort. It would be one thing if they were just friends and always had been, like Akira and Kouyou, as the two seniors often engaged in the same, friendly behaviour—but with the younger boys’ past still prevalent in Kouyou’s mind, he couldn’t fight the burning jealousy coursing deeply through the layers beneath his skin.

Having to face Takanori’s interactions with Yuu both at band practices and at school would prove to be difficult, and it was something that lit the senior’s deepest harboured insecurities into a roaring flame. It was one thing for them to be conversing again without physical contact, but the touch had Kouyou growling under his breath as he narrowed his eyes at the scene before him.

Takanori was the first to notice the approaching senior and whispered something into Yuu's ear, making the raven flinch. After that, the short blond had sent a quick smirk Kouyou's way before hooking Yutaka by the arm and bolting off with him, leaving Kouyou's boyfriend at his locker by himself. Thankfully, the jealousy that lingered within his abdomen had dissipated for the time being after he was finally alone with his beloved beau.

"Yuu?"

"Kou." Yuu's response was more friendly than the blond had expected it to be, his voice soft, as the latter leaned up against the locker to take a look at his shorter boyfriend's face. But Kouyou knew he had to be cautious, regardless of what he saw on the outside of Yuu.

The senior had multiple thoughts swimming around his head, but he knew he had to start with the lightest question. He lowered his voice.

"Do you think you can come over to tutor me tonight?"

And then Yuu met his eyes dead-on, but in a way that made Kouyou's heart warm. His boyfriend didn't look angry; he was still the cute boy Kouyou had always known him to be. "I think I can. I'll text my mom to make sure, but I bet she'll be okay with it."

The smile that lit up Kouyou's face was wide enough to make his cheeks hurt. "Great."

And then... Yuu's face dropped.

"Ah, shit! I totally forgot that... I, um, fell and broke my phone this morning, so I can't text her..."

Kouyou's face followed suit, but it was quickly replaced by a gasp of relief. "You broke your phone?"

Yuu ripped his gaze away from Kouyou's before rubbing his arm, almost guilty-looking. "I did."

"And that's why you haven't been returning my texts all day?"

"You've been texting me...? Oh, Kouyou, I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I haven't seen you." Yuu looked so crestfallen that it took all of Kouyou's self-control to not pull him into a big hug followed by a kiss right then and there.

"I was worried you were mad at me... especially after..." He trailed off, and Yuu's face scrunched up in understanding.

"I'm not mad at you Kouyou. But," the raven said, "we... are going to have a bit of a talk."

Kouyou didn't have the heart to disobey. He wanted to clear the air with his boyfriend, always, and would do everything he could to make sure he wasn't making him uncomfortable in any way. "Okay. Do you want to use my phone to text your mom? I'd... be really happy if you came over to tutor me tonight." The senior couldn't conceal his smile, and was relieved to see Yuu sending him one in return. Yuu nodded.

"Yes, please," he replied, and Kouyou was quick to remove his phone from his pocket and hand it over to Yuu once it was unlocked, intentionally letting their fingers brush as he did so, which made Yuu send him a cheeky smile. The raven started typing to his mother, only to be interrupted by an incoming text message.

"It's... your dad," Yuu revealed, only able to catch the name of the sender and not the message because Kouyou was quickly swiping the phone back into his own hands with his eyebrows furrowed worryingly.

"Oh," the senior said with a sigh of relief, "him and mom are going out for dinner with business associates at 5:30. Which means," Kouyou smirked before lowering his voice to a very low, husky whisper, "we'll have some time to ourselves." He handed the phone back over to Yuu so he could finish texting his mother. Yuu blushed at Kouyou's fairly obvious innuendo, and was quick to punch his taller boyfriend playfully in the chest.

"Ouch! My kitten is feisty today, I like it..."

"Oh my god, Kouyou!"

~

The two left the school soon after Yuu's mom had replied, starting the walk to Kouyou's house, which was thankfully vacant of any other people besides them. The space between the two boys was pretty much non-existent as they walked, thanks to the president.

"Yuu, I really missed you today. I'm sorry I didn't get to see you," Kouyou confessed with sad eyes.

"Kou, it's okay. I missed you too, but I understand that you have things to take care of as student president." Yuu's smile was reassuring, to which Kouyou felt all of his worries disappear.

"Thank you for being so understanding," the blond said, resisting the urge to lean down and smother his adorable boyfriend with kisses. "Honestly, it was hell for me, not being to text you."

"Don't be so dramatic," Yuu teased.

"I'm serious," Kouyou said, looking down at Yuu with dark eyes. "Let me buy you a new phone. Not being able to see you as often because of my parents was bad enough, but to not be able to text you at all? I'd go mad."

The sudden change in conversation instantly made Yuu go tense, and Kouyou could sense it. But he was adamant in this decision.

"Kouyou, no way. I'm not letting you buy me a fucking  _ phone—" _

"But I want to. Please, Yuu, you have no idea—"

Yuu let out an exasperated sigh. "I'll think about it. I don't want to talk about this right now." Apparently, Yuu was pretty adamant in his decision too, but at least it was a maybe.

The two boys made it to Kouyou's house a few minutes later. His parents' vehicles were still in the driveway, which he wasn't surprised about: it was only 4 PM, after all. They wouldn't be leaving for another hour and a half, goddammit...

"Kouyou... are you sure this is okay?" Yuu looked worried, and Kouyou was letting his hand hold the raven's smaller one reassuringly before they turned into the gate.

"Yes. My dad has been pestering me about getting a math tutor lately, and I have one. He can't get rid of you." Kouyou opened the gate for Yuu, letting his hand drop his boyfriend's. When his parents were in close proximity, he knew he couldn't slip up. At all. "But we do have to make them believe you're just my tutor."

Yuu nodded, looking unsure. "Alright..."

"Don't worry, Yuu. Please. I've missed you so much, I need to spend time with you, even if it's through boring math."

"Okay, Kou." 

Yuu took a deep breath as he and Kouyou entered the house with nervous hearts beating rapidly in their chests. They both tried to look calm and act normal, but as soon as Yuu finally came to face with his boyfriend’s father, that facade was long gone.

That man had the most staggering gaze Yuu have ever seen, and even his movements, as light as they were, seemed lethal to the raven boy.

Yuu couldn’t help himself but stare, his boyfriend introducing him a second later.

“Dad, this is Shiroyama Yuu, and he’ll help me with math. He’s the top student in his class and just transferred a month ago, winning many math competitions at his previous school.”

The man listened carefully and Yuu bowed, greeting the man himself after the introduction was done.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Takashima.”

“Welcome, Yuu. It is nice to meet you too.” Even his voice was lethal, and the raven bowed one more, just in case he hadn’t earned a good first impression already.

But the man’s suspicious gaze was making him paranoid, and Yuu hoped they wouldn’t be staying much longer in his company but head for the blond’s room upstairs instead.

“Can we study in my room?” Kouyou asked reluctantly, and the man moved his gaze to his son.

“Actually, I would prefer to observe your lesson and make sure you two can make progress together, so why don’t you come sit in the dining room?”

“But dad…”

“If you’re studying, it shouldn’t be a problem, should it?”

Yuu was already getting chills all over his body from the tone of Kouyou’s father’s voice, and he definitely preferred to stay as far away from his sight as possible, but there was no escaping now.

Kouyou didn’t have a choice, either, and so he complied, taking Yuu to the dining room as his father had demanded.

They were both quiet as they prepared for their tutoring, and sat down at the table a few minutes later, the blond’s father sitting not too far from them as well, reading a newspaper while sipping on his hot tea.

Despite how nervous he was, Yuu managed to keep a nice calm face and didn’t allow any of his feelings to show on the surface. He could sense Kouyou was already tense enough, and the raven did his best, trying to concentrate on the material they had to cover, coaxing his boyfriend into doing the same.

Kouyou was doing perfectly fine, probably putting extra effort into understanding the subject at hand, especially with his father sitting across the room and observing them. Minutes passed and they moved to the exercises, but Kouyou had forgotten half of the notes upstairs and he left the raven with his father, assuring him that he wouldn’t be longer than a few minutes.

As soon as Yuu was left alone, the boy felt a certain staggering gaze on himself as he tried to skim through the lesson once more in an attempt to concentrate on something less stressful, but the man cleared his throat and spoke, making the raven flinch.

“Do you like the city so far, boy?”

“Yes, Mr. Takashima. It’s very colorful and the people are really nice.” Yuu tried to smile, his gaze moving to the man across the room.

“Where did you live before moving here?”

“Mie.” Yuu was beginning to feel uncomfortable, even though he had expected this type of inspection to happen at some point—but he didn’t expect it to be so soon, and so awkward.

“What’s your family occupation, if I may ask?”

“My mother is in the IT department.” That was an odd question, but something only natural for this man to be interested in… right?

“What about your father?”

Yuu tried to remain calm, but his heart made that task too difficult to achieve, and the boy looked away for a brief moment before delivering his answer.

“My father left, Mr. Takashima. It’s only me and my mother now.”

“Oh… I am so sorry to hear that, Yuu. When did he leave?”

“Two years ago.” The raven gulped hard as he recalled that horrible time in his life, and the memories lit up a fire inside of him. But Yuu still managed to remain calm in his seat, wondering why Kouyou was taking so long.

“It must be hard for your mother, taking care of everything including her son, alone.”

“She is a strong woman, sir. We are doing fine.” The raven felt slightly irritated at that. It almost felt like the man was degrading him in some odd, snobbish way that made Yuu’s irritation worsen by the second.

“How old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

“I see.” His voice turned cold all of a sudden. “How is that you are able to teach my son this subject, despite that he is a year older than you?”

“I apologize if it seems odd, sir. I used to be in an advanced class, and math was one of my main subjects.” Yuu tried to defend Kouyou and himself, and the man seemed satisfied for a moment. He parted his lips, ready to ask another question, but was interrupted when Kouyou ran down the stairs and appeared next to them, holding a pair of books.

“Got them. I couldn’t find one of them. I think I left it in my locker.”

“It’s okay, those are enough already.” Yuu couldn’t hide his smile as he watched the blond take his seat next to him—but quickly fixed it as he realized that they were still being watched, and Yuu focused on concentrating on their work, despite how difficult it was now.

Kouyou nailed the exercises without a problem, and his father soon left them alone as he and Kouyou’s mother prepared to leave for their meeting. The woman met Yuu briefly and she simply greeted him without showing much of an interest towards him, and Yuu felt relieved as he didn’t have to go through another interrogation. Kouyou’s parents were soon gone and the blond was back in the dining room, approaching the raven and delivering a kiss to his lips a second later. It happened so quick that Yuu couldn’t react immediately, Kouyou’s lips moving against his, a tongue lapping at the raven’s upper lip before pulling away.

Yuu stared at the smiling blond hovering over him, and he felt a wave of relief wash through him.

“Oh, god, I wanted to taste you so bad...” Kouyou was grinning as he grabbed at Yuu’s wrist and pulled him out of the chair. "Come.”


	25. Chapter 25

After that small taste of Yuu's lips, Kouyou was quick to take his boyfriend by the wrist and guide him upstairs to his bedroom, their math books, notes and exercises long forgotten as Kouyou was mercilessly tossing Yuu down onto the senior's large bed, Yuu chuckling as he bounced upon the soft mattress.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you these past few days, Yuu... and then seeing you at school but not being able to touch you..." Kouyou was practically growling his words, his voice low as he crawled over top of the beautiful raven on the bed.

"I missed you too, Kouyou... mmm," Yuu's sentence was cut off by a soft moan as his boyfriend began placing soft kisses upon his neck, the raven arching his head for more. Kouyou obliged, his tongue jutting out between open-mouthed kisses along the delectable, soft skin. Open-mouthed kisses soon turned to bites and hickeys, the blond eager to claim Yuu as his own.

"Kouyouuu..." Yuu was whining now, his legs spread and lifted as he clamped his thighs around Kouyou's hips, whilst his arms were draped around the blond's neck, trying to pull him close. At every slight buck of Yuu's hips, the senior was smirking against the milky surface of his boyfriend's skin.

"My kitten is eager," Kouyou mused when Yuu started to lace his fingers within the blond locks, tugging at them involuntarily.

"Just kiss me, Kouyouuu...!"

And he did. How could Kouyou deny his little beau when he was acting so precious?

The president wasted no time in moving his eager lips from Yuu's neck to his mouth, his plump lips parted deliciously, invitingly, and in a way that Kouyou couldn't resist. He let his hands play with the raven strands that had been splayed out underneath Yuu's head as he delved in, his lips interlocking perfectly with Yuu's as they did every time. No matter how many times Kouyou were to kiss his kitten, he couldn't get over the feeling of how ideal they felt against his own.

Yuu's tongue didn't bother fighting back as Kouyou dominated the raven's mouth completely and so easily. Kouyou smirked against his boyfriend's lips when he felt the smaller boy buck his hips again, and when they made contact with Kouyou's crotch, he was growling and biting down upon Yuu's plushy bottom lip. The raven let out a gasp at that, to which Kouyou mimicked, and the boys were breathing heavily into one another's mouths as their kiss became extremely heated, messy and full of lust and desire.

For so long, Kouyou had craved this boy, and now he had him. Nothing could take that away.

Pulling away from the kiss merely an inch, their lips still connected by a lewd string of saliva, Kouyou was able to catch the sensual look in Yuu's half-lidded, slightly glazed eyes, and again Kouyou was almost animalistic in the way he shamelessly indulged himself in the beautiful boy underneath him.

Yuu's quiet moans and hot gasps were music to Kouyou's ears as the latter lowered his head to make contact with Yuu's lips again, whilst his hand was making rounds all along the anterior of the smaller boy's body. Fuck, Yuu's body felt so perfect: the flat chest, the slight inward curves of his waist, the way his butt filled Kouyou's palm perfectly when he groped him; the pleasant, floral scents of Yuu's hair and skin; it had all become like a drug to Kouyou, he didn't think he would ever get enough of this boy.

By that point, Kouyou was getting impatient, and his pelvis seemed to move on its own as it lowered just enough to make contact with Yuu's, to which both boys were letting out gasps again. The blond's arousal was quickly making itself known as he started to grind his crotch against Yuu's, which was similar in its hardness.

The brief contact was enough to relieve some of the painful neglect of his erection, but Kouyou was greedy; he wanted, he needed more, and he'd get it, too.

"Fuck, Yuu," Kouyou groaned against his boyfriend's lips when Yuu took the initiative to start rotating his pelvis pleasurably against Kouyou's, the blond following suit and grinding down harder between Yuu's spread legs. "So hot..."

One of his hands had found residence upon the raven's buttocks, cradling the squishy flesh in his palm as he used it to help guide Yuu's grinding hips against his. He was shameless in the way he kneaded it through the boy's pants.

"Oh, Kou, right there..." Yuu was moaning just as immodestly when their erections were creating friction in the most perfect sync, and it wasn't long before Kouyou had had enough of this teasing.

The hand that had been on Yuu's rear was making its way between their bodies, now, as it set its sights on the zipper of the smaller boy's school pants, which was quickly and clumsily being undone.

"Nnngh, Kouyou..."

The blond could only respond by pressing his lips to Yuu's again in a burst of hot passion for the younger boy as his hand worked on getting Yuu freed down below, and he smirked when Yuu's moans became louder and his face went redder once Kouyou had successfully taken the raven's cock into his hand, feeling Yuu shiver with lust underneath him, the boy's breaths hot and quick.

The kiss on Yuu's end had gotten so sloppy, Kouyou was pulling away with a chuckle as his kitten got so blissfully lost in the feeling of Kouyou's hand around his freed erection.

"K-Kou, feels so good, ah..."

"Feels good when I touch you down there, baby?" Kouyou was expertly working his hand up and down his boyfriend's cock, despite never having touched one that wasn't his own—and it didn't disgust him. Not at all; it felt so good in his hand, unlike any girl he'd ever touched before. So much better. It felt right.

"Yes! Oh, yes..." Yuu was so beautifully vocal, Kouyou felt his own erection pulsate within his pants, as it was still confined.

"Touch mine, kitten," Kouyou groaned when Yuu bucked his hips involuntarily against Kouyou's again, the neglect starting to become painful.

"O-okay," Yuu obliged through another moan when his senior was using his thumb to smear the pre-cum that had started leaking out of the raven's tip. As a result of Kouyou's actions, Yuu was extremely clumsy as he eventually freed Kouyou's erection, taking the appendage into his hand shyly.

"I-it's big."

"Is that a problem?" Kouyou chuckled, but gasped when Yuu took his erection into his hand fully, Kouyou's hand stilling momentarily.

"N-no, I like it," Yuu confessed with a blush and a bite of his lip. "Oh, K-Kouyou...!"

"Yuu, fuck..."

The boys were now stroking each other in sync, twisting their wrists and pumping their hands up and down as Kouyou moved in for another sloppy kiss, letting his other hand play with his boyfriend's beautiful head of hair once more. He thrusted his cock into Yuu's hand when the raven got lost in Kouyou's expertise, and all too quickly, Yuu was letting out a loud moan against Kouyou's lips as he slipped under into perfect bliss. His back arched and his head pressed into the softness of the mattress, his eyes squeezing shut and his lips parted. Kouyou kept his mouth close to Yuu's, wanting to taste his sweet breath as his boyfriend came undone for the first time under Kouyou's control.

Yuu's other hand was holding onto Kouyou's strong bicep for support as the heat in his lower regions became too much to handle, and he was soon releasing his seed with stammered moans as his hips stuttered, Kouyou's hand expertly milking his boyfriend of his ultimate high as he felt the hot semen dribble down his hand and splatter against their shirts.

And Kouyou almost found himself doing the same at the sight of his spent boyfriend, his face so flushed and his eyes half-lidded while his breaths were still erratic.

Instead, he opted to kiss Yuu's breath away, wanting to make the moment last. 

Yuu’s blissful orgasm was still ongoing when his boyfriend locked their mouths together for another heated kiss. It was sloppy, the raven’s lips becoming wet in no time, the slippery muscle in Kouyou’s mouth making its way to Yuu’s own, exploring its hot cavern, ravaging it with its lustful intensity. 

Yuu relished in their kiss, one of his hands still holding his boyfriend's erection, his fingers atop the pulsation under the heated flesh. Kouyou was growing harder and bigger by the second, and Yuu gave a small thrust along the shaft, feeling the blond gasp through their kiss as they exchanged another mouthful of breaths between their lips.

The boy’s mind was still in chaos, his thoughts and emotions swirling, creating a mixture of feelings he was not capable of understanding in this state. His senses were numb, recognising only the boy hovering above him, acknowledging his presence only.

Kouyou was the only thing that mattered now, and Yuu’s love was so overwhelming that he felt confidence surge through him, unlike anything he had ever experienced before. He was ready to do anything and wanted to feel the blond, wanted to touch him and explore all of the sides he had but never showed to anyone.

Yuu wanted to be the only one to see them. And most of all, he wanted to be the cause for them.

Yuu blushed madly as he felt Kouyou buck his hips, his member moving into the boy’s fist. The raven was bashful, but also overpowered by his desire and lust, resuming the movements of his hand, making Kouyou gasp again before moving his lips to the side of Yuu’s neck.

The blond was biting him harshly this time, growling as he did so, and Yuu took it as an invitation to speed up the friction of his hand. His fingers were already coated with pre-cum as he squeezed the blond’s member ever so lightly, delivering more and more thrusts against the throbbing flesh of his boyfriend.

Yuu’s skin was burning and so was Kouyou’s body, heat radiating from them both as they perspired from the boiling tension surrounding them. Kouyou’s hands were rougher now, his fingers mindlessly digging at all the places he was capable of grabbing, and he lifted his boyfriend’s shirt to feel the soft skin under it; mark it.

“Kou…” Yuu gasped as soon as the blond resumed his biting. “It hurts.”

Despite the nature of his words, they sounded a lot more like a plead mixed with a pleasurable moan, which made the blond buck his hips a couple more times into the raven’s fist.

A loud growl escaped Kouyou’s lips then, withdrawing them from the bruised skin of Yuu’s neck, voicing out his orgasms as they came. The raven felt his boyfriend writhing above him, his small hand still moving along the shaft, releasing the blond of all of his semen. He was able to feel the hot liquid staining his school shirt, and it didn’t take long until Kouyou was completely spent, losing his strength and collapsing above Yuu before coaxing them into an embrace. Yuu was circling his shaky hands around the blond’s strong shoulders a second later.

They both stilled their movements, their breathing just as erratic as moments ago, and they fought to calm down their senses, cooling down the desire for something more, still lingering in both of their bodies.

Yuu opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, Kouyou breathing heavily into his neck, and the raven’s fingers began to play with the blond strands of the boy in his arms.

It took several minutes until Yuu was breathing normally again and his consciousness came back to him, making him realize what had just happened. His fingers trembled then, his lips curving into a smile, followed by embarrassment washing throughout his entire body.

He had touched Kouyou… and Kouyou touched him back. They had shared their very first intimate moment together, and Yuu felt another mixture of feelings throwing his thoughts into a crazed spin. His heart had stilled for a moment, but as the realization dawned on the raven, it quickened its speed in his chest. The blond shifted slightly, his body growing heavier as it pressed firmly against Yuu’s.

“Thank you, Yuu,” Kouyou whispered, his soft voice breaking the silence in the room, and Yuu’s body tensed up immediately.

“For what?”

“I had this built up in me for so long, you have no idea how much I needed to feel you like this.”

Yuu’s smile grew bigger and his fingers moved to Kouyou’s shoulder blades, drawing soothing patterns on them, feeling the blond relax even more above him.

“You shouldn’t thank me. You’re not the only one who needed this to happen, you know.”

Kouyou chuckled then, and Yuu’s body relaxed from its initial state, Kouyou’s warmth engulfing him a second later.

“We should clean ourselves,” Yuu murmured, his voice growing faint. “We made quite the mess.”

“Later,” the blond growled into the raven’s neck, hugging him tighter. “Let's stay like this for a while.”

And at that, Yuu silently agreed to his boyfriend’s proposal, staying still as he let the exhaustion sweep deep into his body, drowning into everything that Kouyou was granting him at that moment.

~

The obnoxious, piercingly loud sound that could only be recognized as a shiba inu's bark startled Kouyou awake. He felt a similar startle happen in the body he was currently laying beside, his leg draped over the other's stomach and his arm over the other's chest as Kouyou held the body close.

"What's going on...?" Kouyou heard a voice, and he quickly registered it to belong to Yuu, his boyfriend.

Right. They'd fallen asleep after they had shared their most intimate moment together thus far.

"Christ, I'm gonna euthanize that mutt," Kouyou muttered, annoyed and still groggy from the most perfect, post-orgasmic nap he has ever had in his life, as he realized what was going on.

Shiro had to ruin everything, didn't he?

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Kouyou growled in irritation when his dog didn't stop its barking, untangling himself reluctantly from his beautiful raven boyfriend and making his way out to the railing by the stairs. From there, the senior could see the shiba barking at the front door.

"Kou, wait, there's still—"

"Just a second, Yuu. He rarely barks, I have to see what's making him act like this," the senior cut off, still too hazy to realize the rudeness of his actions. But it was to be understood, considering the sudden disrespect of his dog and how the mutt had disturbed both him and his boyfriend.

Shiro continued to bark, and just as Kouyou was about to head down the stairs to shut him up, the senior felt a sudden pressure on his wrist, tugging him away from the staircase.

"Yuu? What are you—"

"Kouyou! It's probably your parents!" The raven looked panicked, his eyes wide as he was now pulling his blond boyfriend back into the bedroom with force. "You dummy, we still have cum on our uniforms!"

Wait.

Oh fuck.

Holy shit.

Kouyou looked down, and true to the younger boy's words, the white substance they'd neglected to clean off of themselves before they passed out had dried on the fabric of their uniforms. The senior's eyes widened in horror, Shiro's barking distant but still present in the background as an alarming reminder of the fact that his fucking parents were home.

They had to act, and fast.

"Yuu, get undressed."

"What?"

"Get undressed," Kouyou ordered in a way he knew Yuu couldn't defy, his body tense and his face stern as he walked past a shocked-looking Yuu and towards his dresser. When the senior started to shed his own clothes as he walked, he was relieved to see Yuu getting the hint and following suit.

"I'll lend you some clothes. Don't let my parents see that uniform," Kouyou told the raven before grabbing some clothes out of a drawer and throwing them to Yuu, who was now naked aside from his underwear, as Kouyou was.

Any other time, the blond would have taken advantage of the situation, because oh wow Yuu had such a nice body, his skin was so soft, and Kouyou wanted to memorize every inch of it, but goddammit their lives were on the line right now!

Yuu nodded before slipping into the slightly oversized clothes without question or complaint, to Kouyou's relief.

Just as Kouyou snatched out clothes for himself, the inevitable yelps and whines followed by the opening of a door downstairs could be heard amongst the two boy's silent turmoil.

"They're here," Yuu whispered near Kouyou as the smaller boy finished putting on the shirt his boyfriend had lent him, and the two boys froze when they heard the adults speaking in low voices downstairs, who were unquestionably Kouyou's parents.

"Goddammit," the senior cursed, although he let out a relieved sigh when he managed to get himself dressed into new clothes without any issues, tossing the soiled uniform into his laundry hamper nearby.

"Kouyou?"

Fuck. His dad must've already noticed he and Yuu weren't still in the dining room. Or, he'd expected Yuu to be gone already and was surprised to be met with their studying supplies, because it wasn't like Kouyou to leave a mess of his things.

"Hi, dad," Kouyou called downstairs through clenched teeth after hearing the man call up to him, judgement evident in his father's voice already.

"What are you doing? Is... your tutor still here?" Kouyou noticed Yuu's face scrunch up at the sound of the man's undeniably judgemental tone.

"I needed to find some more of my math notes. Yuu was helping me look," Kouyou shot back, emphasis clear on Yuu's name. He then lowered his voice to a whisper as his next sentence was directed to his boyfriend. "Come on. Leave your uniform here and I'll wash it for you."

"Kouyou, is he still here?" The man sounded impatient, as Kouyou had not given a direct answer to his question. "If he is, he should be going home."

Jesus, Kouyou didn't even know what time it was, but it was probably late and Yuu should probably be getting home—but the way his father had said that brushed him the wrong way, and he bristled, although he knew he was in no place to stir up yet another argument with his father.

"He is, father. I was just about to send him home," the senior replied once Yuu had no choice but to dump his own uniform into the hamper along with Kouyou's, and the two boys had made it downstairs. When they did, Kouyou's father was eyeing them both suspiciously.

"Where are your uniforms?" The man asked, stopping the boys in their tracks as they had started to walk to the living room to retrieve all of the math supplies they'd carelessly left strewn about.

"We... spilled food on them, earlier, when we were eating," Kouyou lied, unable to meet his father's burning gaze as he and Yuu made another break for the living room.

"That's not very mature of you, Kouyou. Nor is it of you, Yuu."

"I apologize, father. Now if you'll excuse us, Yuu has to get home," Kouyou replied with furrowed brows, already fed up with his dad and the man hadn't even been home for five minutes. His mother was gone already, probably to prepare for bed or do more office work.

The man hummed as the boys made their way to the front door. "Yes, he does."

Yuu was practically cowering under Kouyou's father's watchful eye, not speaking a word, and Kouyou was instantly entering Protective Boyfriend Mode without it being obvious that he was, indeed, Yuu's Protective Boyfriend.

"I'm going to walk him home."

"He can make it on his own, Kouyou."

"He doesn't have a phone right now and it's dark outside," Kouyou countered, already slipping on his shoes, meeting his father's eyes head-on.

At that, the man could practically be seen fuming. "I said no, Kouyou. Goodnight, Yuu. I hope you make it home safely."

"Then you should let me walk him home." Kouyou wasn't going to back down to this man; not tonight, not like he usually did.

"Goodnight, Mr. Takashima. Kouyou," the raven paused, "you understood many of the concepts I taught you tonight, and your grade should be rising soon enough," Yuu timidly interjected, although his speech was quite formal.

"Yuu—?"

"I'm happy to hear my son is advancing. Goodbye."

And then Yuu had left without another word, bowing to both Kouyou and the middle-aged man who had such a triumphant smile on his face, Kouyou wanted to smack it off of him.

But instead of doing that, the senior clenched his fists and walked away to his room without so much as another glance at the man he despised beyond words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bastard
> 
> at least we got some smutty stuff tho ! after 105k words... slow burn at its best aye


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi i'm sorry for the update taking so long, been in a slump, here u gooo

“Yuu.”

Yutaka’s voice startled the raven, yanking him out of his daze. Their class was already over, but Yuu hadn’t noticed, despite the chatter surrounding them as students rushed to their next period.

“I’m sorry.” Yuu stood up from his seat and gathered his supplies, following his friend as they exited the room a moment later. “I didn’t sleep very well.”

“You look happier than usual, though,” Yutaka noted, rising an eyebrow at Yuu who blushed instantly.

Damn right he was happier. The memories of the intimacy he and Kouyou shared the previous day kept coming back at him, and he was unable to concentrate on anything but since then. It was something he had craved so badly, his mind could no longer relax nor function normally.

This kind of closeness between them had served as a key to the suppressed desire in Yuu’s body, and now, after he had Kouyou in his grasp, he couldn’t stop thinking about all the things they could do together; all of the  _ moments  _ they could share together. Said intimacy being one of them, and the diversity of ways to explore it, had Yuu excited all the time. Yet he was a bit stressed by the fact as he had never really felt such a drive to be with someone before, and certainly not in the ways spiraling in his mind right now. 

He tried to concentrate on his conversation with Yutaka, but found himself unable to stay focused, his mind retreating back to its previous state which was now occupied by the blond president at all times.

Even worse, the fact that his phone wasn’t around anymore—which meant Yuu couldn’t communicate with his boyfriend—was creating tension that neither of them could handle, with yesterday’s show of affection being the absolute proof of that.

His mother wasn’t happy when he delivered the news of his wrecked phone, but she didn’t get angry at him, either. Unfortunately, she was also adamant that there was no way for her to get him a new phone this month, which broke the raven instantly. He was in for trouble, because he was able to feel the craving and the clinginess rising up inside of him, even now.

Kouyou was right. Not being able to text each other and be in contact was pure  _ hell. _

When their lunch finally arrived, Yuu found himself almost running out of the classroom, searching for his blond senior outside.

But his disappointment when he didn’t find Kouyou there was immense, and Yutaka almost had to shove him down the corridor.

It was probably Takanori’s fault for Kouyou’s absence, and that left an impact on the raven’s emotional state, making him feel tense aside a sort of…  _ jealousy  _ nestling up inside of him.

He managed to brush that feeling off but it returned far too soon as they finally sat at their table caught sight of their vocalist approaching, followed by Kouyou a moment later.

Yuu had to use all of his willpower to shrink that feeling enough to stop thinking about it. This was just… simple paranoia, and probably the built-up tension… right?

Their friends finally made it to their table and sat at the opposite side, the large space between Yuu and Kouyou frustrating the raven just a bit, but he managed to mask that pretty quick once they began talking.

“Where’s Akira?” Yutaka asked reluctantly, and Takanori cleared his throat. The noise drew everyone’s attention to him.

“He said he felt sick, so he’s staying home.”

Yuu threw a questioning look at him, and to his surprise, Takanori looked… uncomfortable?

“How is it that you know where my best friend is and I don’t?” Kouyou’s surprised voice had a hidden message underneath, which Yuu was almost able to catch on to… almost.

“We were trying to compose stuff, but we got pretty hammered in the end, so, um…” the short blond shifted uncomfortably before continuing, “I didn’t know tequila would be too much for him.”

_ Tequila. _

All of a sudden, everything cleared in Yuu’s mind and he felt like scolding the short boy, but quickly stopped himself considering they weren’t alone and their friends already looked suspicious. Not a good sign, and Yuu had a bad feeling about this.

“We should gather tomorrow for another practice, though.” Yutaka’s joyful voice broke the awkward silence.

“I agree,” Kouyou nodded.

“Me too, I just… I should let mom know fir—”

“Yuuuuuu. Helloooo.”

_ Shit. _

Yumi’s voice startled everyone as she emerged next to their table, curling a finger in her hair as she stared at Yuu, completely ignoring Kouyou.

“Yuu, how are you after yesterday? Still no phone? Are you sure you don’t want me to pay for it?”

“What?” Kouyou interjected with a snappy tone that made Yuu tense up all over again. He never did reveal the true reason behind why he fell and broke his phone, and his inner voice was frantic as it told him that this wasn't going to end well. “Why should you pay for his phone?”

Yumi looked at the blond with a bashful face, faking a terrified and apologetic grimace.

“I was so c-clumsy,” she stuttered. “I bumped into him and his phone broke.”

“Have you seen his phone? That must’ve been one hell of a bump.” Kouyou’s tone turned darker and the atmosphere instantly changed.

Yuu was scared.

“It was,” Yutaka spoke up and crossed his arms. “Yuu almost fell down the stairs, thankfully only his phone did.”

“What?” Kouyou almost barked at the girl as Yuu was able to see the pure anger filling his boyfriend’s eyes. Yuu gulped hard.

“Yumi, you are part of the council. Our behavior must be at its best; we don’t hurt other students because of our incompetence.”

Yuu glanced at the girl then, his boyfriend not seeming to care that his tone was rising, and the raven boy panicked. Kouyou really was doing it.

“Kouyou, it’s nothing.” The raven tried to calm him, down but the blond’s anger was untamable.

“How could you say that? Yumi, our responsibility is to set good examples for other students and show them what qualities they should look up to.”

“I’m sorry, Kouyou.” The girl looked defeated, and Yuu noticed the gazes of the other students watching them already, and knowing the president’s passion and its flaws… he had to do something quick. And then, like a lightbulb, it just came to him.

The boy kicked his senior under the table but didn’t seem to have any effect on Kouyou as he kept talking to the girl, whose eyes were turning red by now.

But Yuu was stubborn, and so, delivering another kick, one much deadlier than the previous one, Kouyou flinched and shut up immediately.

The blond threw one final glance at his boyfriend and then slouched in his chair. “This must not happen again, Yumi.”

The girl didn’t speak, but nodded instead, and left them as fast as a lightning. It left a dreadful, dark feeling in Yuu’s chest, and the raven suddenly felt so guilty, he couldn’t comprehend why.

“I saw that chick talking with your dad this morning, Kouyou,” Takanori spoke up, but low enough for only them to hear.

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah, after he dropped you off.”

Takanori’s words made Kouyou darken completely. His eyes were almost black, now, despite their usual, very beautiful hazel tone.

And for the first time as he looked at Kouyou again, Yuu felt that it was the blond’s turn to have a talk with him.

"Do you have any idea of what they might have talked about?"

"I don't," Takanori confessed in reply to Kouyou's obviously distressed inquiry, "I only saw them. But between you and me," the short blond whispered, flicking a manicured finger between himself and Kouyou, "I really, really don't trust that bitch."

Kouyou crossed his arms and leaned back into his chair with a scoff. "I knew she was trouble the moment she set foot into the student council. Never trusted her."

Takanori sent the president a smirk in return. "Girls don't pull this shit unless a guy's really hurt her. What did you do?"

At that, Kouyou raised an eyebrow, while Yuu and Yutaka were silent as they listened to the blonds' conversation. "I didn't do anything to her except ignore her flirtatious advances towards me. I was never interested in her and I never will be, and she knows it. I think she has a hard time coping with it." Because tough luck, bitch, the president was happily taken by the most beautiful boy to ever exist.

"Yeah, well," Takanori shrugged, "I'd be careful around her. She has power and she doesn't seem afraid to use it."

"I know. But honestly, she's a pest," Kouyou sighed, pinching at the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "She's petty and she won't leave me alone—and now she's getting Yuu involved. He doesn't deserve this, he has no part in it." At that, Kouyou threw an apologetic glance at Yuu.

Well, technically Yuu did have a part because he was Kouyou's boyfriend, but he definitely didn't deserve the shit Yumi was throwing at him.

"It's okay, Kouyou," Yuu comforted, his smile soft and even that small action was enough to put Kouyou at ease. "You're the president. Stuff like this is bound to happen."

Kouyou could only sigh at that, because while he and Yuu understood Kouyou's position and were aware of the drama it could bring to them as boyfriends, it wasn't to be discussed aloud because it could draw suspicion to their relationship (which Kouyou knew Takanori was already suspicious about, if he didn't already know).

"I think she's pretty, but she does seem like a bitch," Yutaka chipped in, attempting to include himself in on the drama he wasn't very involved in.

"You have no idea, cousin," Takanori replied, taking a sip of his juice. "I mean, breaking Yuu's phone? She should seriously have to pay to replace it."

"It's not that big of a deal—"

"Enough talk about Yuu's phone, and enough about Yumi. Jesus, I'm tired of her," Kouyou said, cutting Yuu off as the whole conversation was beginning to make him fume again, and thankfully, his friends understood and quickly shut up about the topic.

"So, band practice tomorrow?" Yutaka offered in another attempt to chance the topic.

"Yes, band practice tomorrow," Takanori agreed, to which Kouyou and Yuu nodded.

~

Lunch ended soon after, and the boys had all parted ways to attend their last few classes. It was now the end of the day and Kouyou was quick to seek out Yuu at his locker again, because he still couldn't text him.

"Hey," the senior grinned, leaning against the locker beside Yuu's. His boyfriend offered him a smile and a quick greeting in return. "So, since you didn't bother telling me that Yumi broke your phone and you didn't fall—"

"She bumped into me and it broke," Yuu corrected, but Kouyou wasn't falling for it. He rolled his eyes and continued on.

"—I'm going to take you out right now so you can get a new one."

"Kouyou, I don't have the money for that—"

"No, but I do," Kouyou smirked, crossing his arms as he lowered his voice. "And as your boyfriend, I deserved to know that she broke it. Maybe if you would have told me sooner I would have made her pay for it—but you didn't, so I'm going to be taking you out and buying you a new phone whether you like it or not."

"Kouyou, oh my god, no—"

"I'm doing this as much for me as I am for you. Not being able to text or call you is killing me, Yuu, so let me do this." Clearly, Kouyou was adamant on his decision, and wasn't going to change his mind no matter how much Yuu were to protest.

Because of that, Yuu gave in. "I don't know if this makes you the best or the worst boyfriend ever," the raven said, sighing as he shut his locker, "or if I'm just as bad for agreeing, but... okay."

Kouyou's triumphant grin was sickening. "Great. You won't regret this."

~

The boyfriends made their way to the mall soon after, via bus because Kouyou didn't have his car at school that day. And this time, when it got crowded, Kouyou was shameless in the way he held Yuu close, stabilizing him as the bus moved and protecting him from the wrath of any angry passengers. Yuu was still just as flustered, however.

After arriving at the mall, Kouyou took Yuu to the best electronics store he knew of, recommending Yuu the latest and most elegant, powerful phone on the market, much like the senior had himself. Yuu protested greatly, fretting that Kouyou shouldn't spend that much money on him, but Kouyou ignored his protests and insisted on buying it anyways, which he followed through in doing.

"It's got a really good camera," Kouyou had said, trying to convince the raven.

"I don't really take photos," Yuu would counter.

"You'll start," the senior replied with a smirk and a wink, "like I said—this phone is just as much for me as it is for you..."

"Kouyou!!" Yuu practically whisper-yelled when Kouyou snuck a grope at his ass, making clear what his blond boyfriend was referring to. "You are so shameless!"

"I can't help it."

~

In the end, Yuu seemed truly thankful for the phone Kouyou had bought him, despite the protests. The two took the bus home soon after, Kouyou walking Yuu to his house before going to his own. Yuu promised to text Kouyou as soon as his phone was set up, and Kouyou felt as though all was finally right in the world.

...Until he set foot into his own home to come face-to-face with his very clearly annoyed father.

"You're late, Kouyou."

Oh, fuck.

"I apologize, father," Kouyou said as he slipped off his shoes quickly, trying to avoid the unavoidable conversation that was about to happen.

"Why are you late?" The man inquired, his arms crossed as he stood at the base of the staircase as to prevent Kouyou from escaping up to his bedroom. That bastard.

"I was with a friend," Kouyou simply replied.

His father chuckled, almost menacingly, before replying. "Your friend. Your tutor? Yuu, was it?"

Kouyou was slightly taken aback by the fact that his father had caught on so quickly, and he couldn't find it within himself to deny the truth, as he knew he would be spouting many more lies soon enough. "Yes. Yuu, who is my tutor and also my friend."

"How long have you known this Yuu, Kouyou?"

"Long enough," Kouyou countered, not liking where this was going or what his father might be trying to get at. Truthfully, he had no idea what his father's intentions were. He had no idea if he was suspicious about the true nature of their relationship, and he didn't want to find out.

"Long enough to know why he attracts so much attention and yet is only close with you and a few other boys?"

"Excuse me?" Kouyou whipped his head up to meet his father's menacing gaze, matching with it even, as the man said something so absurd Kouyou's head was beginning to spin. He tried to even out his breaths in an attempt to calm himself, making sure he didn't slip out anything he shouldn't. "He's shy. That's all."

"Is that so? You don't know anything more about this star student who showed up one day without a trace?"

Kouyou's fists clenched, as did his jaw as he spoke. "I don't."

The man simply hummed in response. "That girl on student council doesn't seem to trust him very much. I'm not sure if I should either."

"Yumi?! What the fuck did she tell you?" Kouyou was furious now, his face red and his body tense. There was no telling in how much that bitch had decided to reveal to Kouyou's father, but at least now he had an idea about what they talked about.

They talked about Yuu, and the thought made Kouyou's blood boil.

Because Yumi wouldn't have said anything if she wasn't suspicious of the new student and the president, and there's no telling how much of her suspicions she had shared with the man.

"Language, Kouyou. We're discussing simple matters here." Kouyou wanted to punch that man, fuck.

"...We are," Kouyou breathed, "and that's why they shouldn't be such big conversation topics."

"Kouyou, I digress—" The man was cut off by the violent ringing of his phone, to which he cursed at when he retrieved it from his pocket. He muttered something about it being business-related and that he had to take the call.

Meanwhile, Kouyou had taken advantage of the opportunity to make a run for his bedroom and away from his prying father.

He was pleasantly surprised by a new text as he slipped into bed.

Yuu: Hello my senior ♡ got my new phone set up!

Kouyou: Hi, kitten :)

Kouyou: My dad is a douche. So happy to be able to text you right now.

Yuu: Oh Kou :(

Kouyou: But you know what would really make me feel better?

Yuu: What? ♡

Kouyou: If you got undressed and put that new HD camera to use :)

Yuu: KOUYOU!!!

On the other end, Yuu could only stare at the bright display of his new phone, his breathing quickening so much he almost suffocated.

Yuu: Kouyou, I am not doing this.

Kouyou: If you feel embarrassed, I can send you a picture of myself to make you feel better about it.

Kouyou: Mr. Doraemon pajamas.

Yuu was hyperventilating as he rolled on his bed, his cheeks burning with a heat that quickly spread to the rest of his body. The phone then vibrated again, and the boy gaped in shock at the new message.

Kouyou: Won’t you grant me with some reward? I invested my money in it, after all.

Yuu: I’m returning this phone.

Kouyou: We both know that’s not happening, kitten :)

If Yuu thought he was embarrassed before, he couldn’t find a proper word to describe his flustered feelings right now. But he couldn’t deny the blond, either...

Yuu: This was your plan all along, am I right?

Kouyou: I told you, I can’t help it.

Yuu didn’t respond this time, quickly sitting up in his bed, whilst Kiko jumped on the covers next to him a second later, mewling and asking for attention. The raven was in so much trouble as he realised how much he... wanted to see that picture Kouyou was talking about. He used to make fun of such teenage endeavours that he had seen on TV dramas or heard students chatter about, but now he felt curious… and so fucking  _ embarrassed  _ over it.

What was Kouyou doing to him now? Why was Yuu changing so much, or was it simply the love he felt for his senior and his raging hormones clouding his judgement?

The phone’s vibration interrupted his train of thoughts a minute later, and Yuu glanced at the new message, scared of its contents this time.

Kouyou: I haven’t been able to touch you or kiss you all day. I miss you already. Please, kitten.

Yuu sighed then and Kiko nuged him with her fluffy paw, coaxing him into running his fingers along her back gently ruffling her fur. It calmed him a little as he pondered about whether he should submit to the cute cheeky blond who loved to harass him so much.

Yuu smirked at that. He loved to be harrassed by that blond president...

“Okay …” Yuu took a deep breath and opened the camera of his phone. The display was sharp and of such a good quality, he immediately felt embarrassed upon seeing his face as it appeared in pixels. He quickly took a picture of himself smiling, and sent it to the blond soon after that.

Yuu: That’s all you gonna get from me.

Kouyou: Oh :)

Kouyou: That gorgeous face can pacify me for a bit, but…

Kouyou: Let me show you what I really meant :D

Oh, no…

Yuu panicked as he waited for a response, but as seconds passed and there was still nothing coming from his boyfriend, the boy began to hyperventilate again. Kouyou was such a horrible tease, wasn’t he?

Yuu almost jumped when he saw another message pop up on his screen.

Takanori: someone is online ;)

Takanori: did you get a new phone?

The raven was sighing now. The last thing he needed was another cheeky blond to appear, obviously in for some teasing to be done as well.

Yuu: Yes I did

Takanori: ahh, did your prince buy it?

Yuu was ready to throw the phone and bury it deep under the covers of his bed, ready to never look at it again, before Kouyou…

...sent a photo.

“Oh, god!” Yuu gasped in surprise, his panic making his fingers shake as Kiko gave up on her master and quickly jumped off the bed, leaving him alone in his misery. Yuu wasn’t ready for what he was about to see, but he didn’t hesitate any longer and opened the message, only to be met with… Kouyou.

_ Shirtless _ Kouyou.

The raven was frozen in shock as he examined the picture, his eyes going over the way the dim light of the room fell on the perfect curves of Kouyou’s body. One of his hands holding the phone, the other inside of the pocket on his pants, the blond smirking teasingly in front of the mirror in his room. He had seen Kouyou shirtless before, but the senior never had such a suggestive look on his face, especially not directed at nor meant for Yuu himself.

The growing tension in his lower regions reminded Yuu just how damn much he was attracted to this boy, and he couldn’t help his body’s reaction as he felt his arousal building up slowly, making his pants feel slightly tight as he stared… and stared. He couldn’t do anything but, his mind retrieving flashbacks of their intimate moment yesterday, and it only made Yuu feel hotter...

...until the thought of touching himself crossed Yuu’s mind. The boy received another text message from Takanori, and he felt relieved, hoping that closing his chat with Kouyou would ease the tension in his pants, but he was so,  _ so  _ wrong.

Takanori: i knew he was gonna buy you one

Takanori: now i know who bottoms ;)

And at that, the phone was thrown onto the bed and Yuu rushed to the bathroom, locking himself inside until all of that sexual tension was finally released.


	27. Chapter 27

After his mother came home that evening, Yuu helped her prepare dinner, and they were eating in silence when the raven decided it was a moderately convenient time for him to drop the news of his new phone.

“Mom, I have to tell you something,” he began, the woman looking at him expectantly. “Um… I was at the mall today, and... um, Kouyou was with me.”

She nodded and waited for him to continue, but Yuu took a couple of seconds to think about the best choice of words in this situation.

“He insisted, and… I honestly couldn’t do much about it, and… he bought me… a phone.”

There was an awkward silence that filled the room again, his mother staring at him with unreadable expression on her face—although it didn’t last long.

“That’s good,” she smiled all of a sudden, “Is it nice?”

_Wait…_

“You… aren’t you mad?” Yuu asked hesitantly, not sure if his mother had really heard him just now.

“No, of course not. I’m glad he decided to do that for you, you know it would have taken me quite some time to take care of it.”

Yuu couldn’t believe his ears.

“But… mom… isn’t it...”

“What?” she smiled at him, probably already getting where he was going with this.

“H-he already gave me one of his guitars...” Yuu stuttered, still abashed at the way his mother had reacted to the news.

“And so?”

Yuu was feeling strange, and he couldn’t understand what was going on. Their status was quite different than Kouyou’s, and he knew his mother would never be able to afford the guitar or the phone alone. He doubted he would ever be able to do it himself, no matter what job he pursued in the future. Not only was he was feeling embarrassed, but quite disturbed.

“I would… never be able to give such gifts to him,” he answered, his voice faint, and he immediately sensed the way his mother’s mood had changed completely.

“Yuu… your love will never be measured in the monetary gifts you give each other. I’m sure Kouyou doesn’t expect such things from you. And remember, the money isn’t his—it’s his parents’. One of the biggest mistakes your father and I made was to think we owed each other things we shouldn’t have.”

“The biggest mistake was me, though…” Yuu whispered, looking away, before realizing he had struck a chord deep within his mother, the woman raising her voice like never before.

“Don’t you dare say such a thing ever again!” she looked beyond hurt as she spoke now, and Yuu felt a piercing pain in his chest.

“He left after he found out I was gay, mom.”

“No, he left because he thought we owed him something, and he realised he would never get it.”

Yuu didn’t object this time, instead found himself looking away as he was unable to look at the pained expression of his mother.

“There is nothing wrong with letting someone take care of you. In Kouyou’s eyes, he’s not doing anything wrong—and I can assure you that you’re doing just as much for him without even realizing it.”

Yuu felt a strange kind of relief after hearing his mother’s words. He had doubted himself more than once ever since he met Kouyou, and his insecurities were eating him from the inside out—but he had never thought of things in a different perspective, like the one his mother had just introduced. Maybe Kouyou wouldn't even look at Yuu the way he did if Yuu wasn’t giving him what he needed. The blond thought he was straight, but he was strong enough to admit his feelings and approach Yuu first, even though the raven was first to develop feelings for the other. And again… the same insecurities had stopped him from even hoping for them to actually be together.

But he loved Kouyou for it. He completed him in so many ways.

“Thank you, mom.” Yuu looked at his mother again, his heart easing as he caught sight of her smile.

“I love you. You know that, right?”

“Yeah.” Yuu grew flustered again, his thoughts drifting to his boyfriend as he thought about their relationship and how much it had grown in such a short period of time—yet he suddenly realized he had never said those same three words to Kouyou before. “I love you” seemed so deadly, so scary, especially after the betrayal he had gone through the last time he spoke those words aloud. But he had to find a way and fix that, because Kouyou definitely didn’t deserve any of this, and Yuu made a mental note to find the perfect moment to confess those words to his boyfriend.

~

Kouyou: Come see me off? xoxo

Yuu: Okay, only because I like you ♡

Like.

Such a short, simple word with so many different meanings.

Kouyou wasn't sure how much he enjoyed its meaning in this context when there was another 'L' word, so similar to that one and yet so different—one that held so much more in the same four letters.

Kouyou: What do you like most about me? :P

Yuu: Oh don't get embarrassing >.<

Kouyou: Hey, it's not my fault you're adorable and get flustered by every little thing I do

Yuu: ...;-;

Kouyou: Well, no matter

Kouyou: If I scroll up to the most recent photo I shared, I have my answer

Yuu: OMG stop it!!

Kouyou: Kitten's not denying it~

Yuu: I’m gonna beat you >.>

Kouyou: Hahaha he's feisty again... maybe we should skip band practice and I'll finger an entirely different kind of chord instead

Yuu: KOUYOU!!!

The senior truly was shameless in his virtual flirtatious advances towards his boyfriend, and every time he brought his raven beau to the most adorable, embarrassed mess. He'd never get tired of it.

Kouyou: Okok that was bad

Kouyou: Let's meet at the front doors lol my dad is almost here

Yuu: I don't know if I want to anymore!

Kouyou: Oh, but you like me.

Yuu: That's true...

As Kouyou send the various texts back and forth with Yuu, the blond couldn't help but wonder... what was it about Kouyou that the raven liked so much? He'd have to get a proper answer sometime.

But for the time being, Kouyou had managed to walk himself to the front doors without crashing into anything as attention was focused on his phone. The giddy smirk on his face was unsuccessfully kept at bay, though, and more than a few students shot him weird looks as he passed.

Kouyou just couldn't help it. He was _so_ helplessly in love.

And there was the culprit, already waiting at the doors for him. The culprit's face was flushed red, which Kouyou knew instantly he was responsible for.

"There you are," the blond said, walking up to his boyfriend who had his arms crossed childishly, adorably, avoiding eye contact with the taller boy.

"You're terrible, Kou," Yuu finally said, a hint of amusement in his quiet voice, and Kouyou knew that the raven couldn't fake being upset with him for very long.

"Hmm, I am. But I don't see anybody complaining," the president chuckled back, his teasing smirk evident. Oh, Yuu was so cute, Kouyou wanted to do so many unimaginable things...

But they were still in school, under the many watchful eyes of various students. It would have to wait.

"Ah, my dad's here," Kouyou said once he saw the expensive sports car roll up, unmistakably an item of the Takashimas. He resisted the urge to reach for Yuu's hand when the two boys exited the building.

"See you at practice, Yuu," Kouyou smiled to Yuu before opening the passenger's side of the car to get in, watching as Yuu started to walk away.

"Kouyou, why don't we give him a ride? He lives relatively close to us, does he not?" The out-of-character friendliness that was the voice of Kouyou's father startled the blond, and he stood frozen with the door of the vehicle open.

"What?"

"Your friend. Call him back. We'll drive him home."

As odd as the invitation was, Kouyou didn't think it was necessarily a bad idea...

"Yuu!"

The raven turned around instantly at the sound of Kouyou's voice calling him, and when the president started gesturing for him to come closer, Yuu obliged until he was standing beside his taller boyfriend at the vehicle. His eyebrow was raised in confusion as he waited for Kouyou to speak.

"My dad doesn't mind driving you home. What do you say?" His smile was warm in a way that he knew Yuu couldn't resist. The raven cocked his head at the question, however.

"Um, are you sure? The walk isn't that far..."

"I'm sure. I'll sit in the back with you," Kouyou offered, shutting the door of the passenger side and moving backwards to open the door of the back seats, inviting Yuu to get in, to which Yuu obliged with a soft "thank you". Kouyou flashed him a smile before making his way to the other side of the vehicle, getting in beside Yuu.

"This is kind of you, Mr. Takashima," Yuu said politely to the man driving the car. The air was tense, even awkward, but Kouyou didn't allow himself to dwell on it.

"It's nothing, Yuu," the man replied, although he didn't smile in return to Yuu's gratitude. Kouyou bristled at that, but alas, everything his father did was enough to piss the blond off, and he couldn't let it get to him.

The sound of a text message going off beside him made Kouyou turn his head to the noise only to watch as Yuu started to pull his phone out of his pocket, just before Kouyou felt his own phone vibrate.

"Oh, Yutaka says we can head over now if we want to," Yuu said aloud, and Kouyou confirmed the notion when he managed to pull out his own phone and see an excited text from Yutaka in the group chat.

Unavoidably, Kouyou's father was eyeing them suspiciously through his overhead mirror. "Head where?" The man started with the most obvious question, before commenting on the next thing that crossed his mind. "And oh, I see you got a phone, Yuu. A top-of-the-market one, as well. Your mother must love you very much to buy that for you."

The already-tense atmosphere suddenly weighed about ten times more, the awkwardness in the air almost palpable. Kouyou cleared his throat when he realized Yuu wasn't going to respond, and the blond knew he couldn't get out of telling his father about the band. He had been putting it off, unsure about how his father would react to the news considering his nature, although the man supported Kouyou and his musical talents.

"Yuu and I have decided to start a band with a couple of friends," Kouyou started, trying to keep confident as he spoke, "Akira's in it, and you remember how we used to play together."

Kouyou's father hummed. "I do remember. You two played quite well, and I didn't get you those private lessons for nothing."

So far, so good. "That's right. Yuu's quite good, too, and so are the other two members." Out of the corner of his eye, Kouyou saw Yuu blush slightly at the praise.

"I see. So this Yutaka, is he one of your friends?"

"Yes, and he's our drummer in the band," Yuu chipped in, seemingly more comfortable with the situation. "We practice at his house."

"His cousin Takanori is our vocalist," Kouyou said afterwards, to which his father nodded his head slowly as he processed the newfound information.

"As long as you keep up with your studies, Kouyou," the man said, "I don't see an issue with this."

Both Kouyou and Yuu were smiling wide at the news, ecstatic that this bastard of a man actually held some compassion in him.

"I promise I will, father. Thank you." Kouyou's gratitude was immense, and he sent a reassuring smile Yuu's way, to which the raven returned.

"Good. I'll drive you boys there, if you'd like," the man ordered.

Kouyou nodded, as did Yuu.

"That would be great," the president replied

~

Kouyou's father dropped them off at Yutaka's, but not before a detour to Yuu’s house to fetch his guitar, while Kouyou had left one of his own at Yutaka’s for convenience. As the blond set foot into the drummer's driveway after his father had drove off, Kouyou was letting out a big, relieved sigh.

"Oh, that went so much better than I thought it would," Kouyou confessed, and Yuu nudged his shoulder reassuringly with his own. Kouyou couldn't help but wrap his arm around Yuu and give him a snuggle before the couple walked up to the front door and knocked on the door, which gave way to a smiling Yutaka moments later.

"Hi, guys! Come in, Taka and Akira are in the living room," the brunet piped before standing aside to let his bandmates in. True to his words, Takanori and Akira were sitting on the couch, and Kouyou noticed the the space between them to be almost... minuscule.

"So I hear you can't handle tequila, Akira," was the first thing Kouyou teased when he entered the living room, sitting on the loveseat, Yuu collapsing beside him after putting his guitar down.

"Don't you fucking start," Akira shot back to his best friend, crossing his arms as his brows furrowed and his lips turned up into a smirk. "You have no idea the kind of blackmail material I have on you." Kouyou swore he saw Akira catch Yuu's eyes as he said that, but the president couldn't be sure.

"It's true, though," Takanori cut in, jabbing at Akira's arm with his elbow. "You really can't handle it."

"You can shut up," Akira snapped back, his smirk still evident as he returned the elbow jab to the cocky blond beside him. Kouyou and Yuu chuckled at their banter.

"Yuu! You got a new phone!"

"He what?" Takanori raised an eyebrow at Yutaka's sudden exclaim, everyone's attention soon focused on the raven in the room who was quick to slip his phone back into his pocket—whilst Takanori smirked beneath his next words, his texts with Yuu the previous night telling him more than he needed to know. "Oh my god, he did. Yuu, that's an expensive-ass phone..."

"Um, m-my mom had some money saved up," the raven tried to cover up the truth, but to no avail. Kouyou merely stayed silent beside him, knowing the truth was going to get exposed one way or another—and frankly, he was okay with it.

"No way. Yuu, your mom couldn't afford that," Takanori blurted, and Yuu averted his eyes, and the short blond able to read the raven’s lies from a mile away. His eyes clicked onto Kouyou before back onto Yuu, and then back onto Kouyou again, his grin wide and his eyebrows raised in mock surprise. "No fuckin' way. Kouyou, you bought him that phone, didn't you?"

Busted.

"I did buy him that phone."

Akira's jaw instantly went agape, and Takanori was quick to connect all of the pieces together and practically fan over the news. "Okay, nobody buys their _friend_ a phone that expensive." The small blond was smirking after he spoke, as if he knew something Kouyou didn't.

Kouyou smiled down at Yuu who was now a flustered mess, and the blond wrapped an arm around him, bringing his boyfriend close. Yuu didn't retaliate; he allowed Kouyou to scoop him up, and Kouyou was meeting Yuu's eyes in an unspoken bond of trust between them.

"No, I guess friends don't buy their friends expensive phones," Kouyou agreed with a chuckle, the soft look in his eyes not breaking contact with Yuu's own. "But boyfriends do."

As the words left his lips, Kouyou felt an immense amount of weight to be lifted off of his shoulders instantly, and Yuu was now totally relaxed in his hold.

"Holy shit, it's official?" Akira finally spoke, his eyes wide.

"Oh my gosh! Congratulations, you two," Yutaka said with a dimpled grin.

"I knew! I always knew! But I wanted to hear them say it to all of us," Takanori exclaimed, bouncing excitedly on the couch, much like a child. Akira had to stop him from falling off multiple times.

"I had suspicions, but Kouyou didn't tell me shit," Akira complained, although he was smiling genuinely now.

"I told Takanori, Kouyou," Yuu confessed when Kouyou had gone silent beside him. "Well... I actually didn't. He cornered me, interrogated me and I had no choice but to tell the truth, because he was right on track..."

"You guys were obvious as hell, it was killing me," Takanori waved off dramatically, and Kouyou chuckled at that. He wasn't angry at all, and truthfully it felt great to be out in the clear with his bandmates and closest friends, now. "Anyways, have you guys fucked yet? I want the details."

_"Takanori!!"_

_~_

The boy’s practice went smoothly, and they played for several hours as they also used it as a distraction from Takanori’s antics, the boy too adamant on teasing the hell out of the new couple in their band.

Yuu was cautious, though, and he watched Takanori closely, throwing occasional glances at Akira as well, noticing how nervous the boys were. He wondered what was going on and if the mentioned tequila was at fault, but Yuu didn’t spend too much time thinking about it, his attention quickly being drawn by the blond guitarist instead.

Kouyou looked so happy and so calm in that moment, and so did Yuu. The raven couldn’t believe he had the opportunity to be himself after all these years, and most of all… he had found people who actually _supported_ him. He was not judged, nor hated; he was accepted, and on top of it, his other half was there with him. Yes, Kouyou was his perfect match—and Yuu knew there was nothing in this world that could convince him otherwise.

Kouyou was his everything, now, and for the first time, the raven didn’t hesitate as he kept throwing loving looks at the senior throughout their practice. He was free, even if it was only enclosed in these walls and in front of these specific people around them.

As the practice finally ended  the boys retreated back to Yutaka’s living room for a small round of drinks. They discussed future tracks to play and included bands to their list of music to explore before diving into their own projects—but it didn’t take long for that topic to come to an end, and they began their second round of teasing for the day.

“You should have seen the way Kouyou did Yuu’s hair,” Akira grinned, looking at a surprised Takanori as the blond remembered their quite disturbing truth or dare game. “Kouyou was practically _sniffing_ Yuu’s hair.”

“Oh my god... and even _that_ didn’t ring the gay bell Kouyou? Not even slightly? Are you kidding?” Takanori was shocked, but the look in his eyes was almost scolding.

“I was still very new to the concept at that time, thank you very much,” Kouyou defended himself immediately and Yuu chuckled, his waist being held by the blond at all times now as they sat next to each other.

He was listening carefully, not realizing how many things he had missed because of his fears and insecurities. It was pretty amusing.

His drink was running out and the raven stood up, excusing himself and rushing to the kitchen with a promise that he would be back soon.

He entered the small room a second later and checked the bottles on the table, finding all that he needed to mix something light and fruity for himself.

It hasn’t been long before Yuu felt someone’s presence behind him and the raven startled, almost spilling some of the juice as two strong hands circled around his waist. He felt the familiar curves of a body pressing into his back and Yuu smiled, his face flushed as he spoke.

“Don’t scare me like that.”

“You should mix something for me sometime,” Kouyou whispered in the raven’s ear, making him flinch. “I wonder what you like to drink.”

“You might not like it.” Yuu chuckled as he was almost finished with the mixture. “It’s not very alcoholic. You know I don’t like to drink.”

“Why not, though?”

“Because I get drunk really fast.”

“Yeah, I remember.” The blond laughed softly at the flashback of their first band practice, embarrassing the raven even further.

He was finally done with his drink, setting it down on the table before turning around to face his boyfriend who smirked teasingly, cornering Yuu in his spot.

“You were very affectionate, though,” Kouyou mused, resting his forehead against Yuu’s.

“Aren’t I just as affectionate when I’m sober?” Yuu’s eyes bore into Kouyou’s, his hands travelling up the blond’s biceps until they circled around the strong shoulders of his boyfriend.

Their lips locked into a sensual kiss a second later, the raven closing his eyes relishing into the gentle touch. Kouyou’s hands moved to Yuu’s waist, pressing the smaller body close into an embrace, when the tips of their tongues brushed at one another. Yuu’s lips moved again and he gasped through their kiss as he suddenly felt those same hands move down to his buttocks, squeezing them gently, sending jolts of lust to his groin...

...before Yuu’s eyes snapped open. The boy pulled away, breaking their kiss completely, realizing how dangerous it was to stay in his boyfriend’s arms right now, and their moment was over before it grew too heated again.

“We should go back.” Yuu turned around and grabbed his drink from the table, hearing Kouyou growl with dissatisfaction from behind him.

But he didn’t complain any further, catching Yuu’s hand and lacing their fingers together as they exited the kitchen and returned to their friends.

~

It was Friday and Yuu was sitting on a bench near the entrance of the school, waiting for Kouyou’s last class to be over. The blond had a math test earlier the same week and was supposed to get his grade today, which made Yuu both nervous and excited at the same time.

The raven had done his best to help his senior despite the constant observing eyes of his father, distracting them both every time they had a tutoring session—but the boy was sure Kouyou wouldn’t blow this chance to earn his father’s good will.

But time was passing by exceptionally slow, and Yuu took out his phone, hoping to see some new messages from a certain blond, but there were none. He was so distraught that he didn’t even notice the man approaching him.

“Hello, Yuu.” A low voice startled him out of his daze and Yuu quickly hid the phone in his pocket, rising up on his feet and facing none other than… Kouyou’s father?

“Hello, Mr. Takashima.” His voice was weak and soft, Yuu feeling quite uncomfortable and very disturbed by the man’s presence, despite the fact he had seen him many times already. He could never get used to him.

“What are you doing here, Yuu? Are your classes over?” The man seemed kind, but Yuu knew better than to let his guard down. Not in front of this man.

“They are over, yes. But I promised Kouyou I would wait for him. He’s getting his grade on the math test today.” Yuu had agreed with Kouyou to tell the truth as long as they could, sparing little details regarding the true nature of their relationship, but now the raven was… undoubtedly nervous. Kouyou didn’t mention his father was supposed to pick him up...

“Such a good friend my son has,” the man smirked briefly before his gaze turned cold once more. “I should thank you for being so dedicated, worrying for his grades too.”

“He’s working hard, I just want him to be happy.”

“I’m sure you do.” The man was smiling again, and something in his tone and posture intimidated Yuu even more. “How did you two get so close?”

The sudden question startled Yuu, and he didn’t respond immediately, instead contemplating what the best thing to do in the situation. He couldn’t lie about that, either.

“He asked me to tutor him.”

“Because of your record from the previous school, right?” Yuu nodded at that. “I heard it’s pretty impressive. And the school was fairly good, which makes me wonder why you moved here.”

The intimidation was getting to the raven, but he remained calm, not allowing his true feelings to show, despite the growing intensity of the the interrogation he was being put through.

Where the hell was Kouyou? Why hadn’t the bell rung yet?

“Mom said our perspectives are better here. Her job is much better, too.”

“Good enough to buy you expensive presents.”

That goddamn fucking phone. Yuu cursed at himself and at Kouyou as well as he went over all of the awkward situations that device had caused ever since it was gifted to him. Why did he allow Kouyou to buy it in the first place? The raven didn’t know, but despite the words of his mother still being fresh in his mind, Yuu panicked and dreaded that gift right now.

“Are you popular amongst the girls, Yuu?”

“What?” Yuu didn’t even realize how his tone had changed, the new question making him flinch and look away. “I… I don’t know, Mr. Takashima.”

“Hm… you are quite good looking despite your status. Don’t you have a girlfriend?”

There it was; the degradation this man inflicted on him every time they happened to be alone and without Kouyou around. It burnt the raven’s insides with a sense of humiliation he had never felt in his life up until that moment.

The bell rang a second later as a saviour to Yuu’s tormented soul, followed by students running outside, chattering and smiling, while the raven remained silent, avoiding the man’s gaze at all costs, waiting for his boyfriend to show up.

That happened a couple of minutes later as Kouyou emerged from the building followed by a grinning Akira, the blond’s smile melting all of the dread in Yuu’s chest instantly—that must mean good news.

The raven was quickly smiling again, sensing something good was to come, his boyfriend looking cheery and excited as he finally reached their spot.

“Hi, dad… what are you doing here?” he asked with surprise upon seeing his father standing next to Yuu.

“I figured I should pick you up. Your friend told me you got your math grade today.”

Kouyou’s eyes moved to Yuu who tried to look calm, his gaze staring back.

“How did it go?” Yuu asked and Kouyou grinned, his smile even bigger than Akira’s.

“I got 95% on the test.”

Yuu gaped at that, happiness filling him up, completely forgetting the talk he had just had with the old Takashima. “Oh my god, that’s great, Kouyou!”

“I know, right? Thank you so much, Yuu! I would have never been able to do this without you.”

“I must thank you, as well,” Kouyou’s father spoke again, turning to Yuu who didn’t have a choice but to return the man’s gaze. “Your tutoring proves to be really helpful.”

“Kouyou deserves a reward, right Mr. Takashima?” Akira asked, and the man’s eyes turned to slits as he glared at their friend with suspicion.

“What kind of reward?”

“He’s been studying so hard lately. We haven’t had a night out in so long. Can we go out after school today?” Akira’s pleading eyes were more than even Yuu could handle, and the man was sighing a second later, nodding in agreement.

"Alright, as Kouyou’s record is pretty clean and in high standards and math isn’t a problem anymore, I don’t see a problem with you boys going out tonight.”

Yuu kept smiling as he watched Kouyou and Akira grow excited over the news, thanking the man over and over again. The boy didn’t hesitate when they asked him to join them later today and he agreed to everything silently as they separated eventually, Yuu heading home as his thoughts drifted back to his conversation with Kouyou’s dad.

He was delighted by how well Kouyou had done on the test, and was also excited to see him and spend time with him again—the way they used to, enjoying each other’s company. Despite everything, though, he couldn’t help the dreadful feeling still lingering within him. The questions Kouyou’s father had asked him were getting weirder every time they spoke with each other, and despite how innocent and average they sounded, Yuu had a bad feeling about it all. But he couldn’t delve into it for much longer because his phone vibrated with a new message as soon as he got home, his boyfriend pulling him out of his dark train of thoughts instantly.

Kouyou: Can I come over now? I wanna see you before going out later.

Yuu: Sure, I don't see why not :)

Such innocent text messages spurred on by an intention that was not so innocent on Kouyou's end.


	28. Chapter 28

The blond senior had arrived home just minutes after he and his father left the school property. Kouyou had been so ecstatic to deliver the news of his fantastic grade on the test he'd dreaded so much, but thanks to the powerful mind and great teaching skills of his boyfriend, Kouyou sailed through without an issue. As a result, the senior was granted access to a night out with his friends and boyfriend—but not without a quick stop at Yuu's house first, after hearing news of the raven's mother not arriving home until much later in the evening.

But before Kouyou were to do so, he had... some business to take care of beforehand.

Business that involved his laptop, headphones and a locked bedroom door.

Kouyou sat atop his sheets, leaning back against the headboard and soft, white pillows. His Macbook was situated on his thighs, his legs outstretched, and he was quick to plug in his headphones and navigate himself to the browser. Guitar-calloused fingers hovered over the keys as the senior hummed to himself and furrowed his eyebrows, unsure.

If all else failed, he could probably just send Takanori a message, but Kouyou knew he had to try and work this out on his own first.

Besides—the amount of teasing and knowing glances from Takanori that would be inevitable after such a conversation was something Kouyou didn't think he could handle. That alone was enough to send his fingers into having minds of their own as he typed in his first search:

"gay porn".

The senior took in a large breath as the countless videos and X-rated websites took over his screen, startling him. His eyes scanned the explicit thumbnails and long, ridiculous video titles that emitted a few chuckles out of his mouth, before deciding to click the first video—because it was now or never, Kouyou.

His breathing was still as it loaded up. Kouyou could see his own, slightly frightened and definitely overwhelmed reflection in the black screen, but thankfully the scene opened and the blond was now distracted by what was going on on the screen. Thank God, because Kouyou didn't know why he was acting like such a virgin about this. He'd watched porn before. He'd had sex. He touched Yuu's dick, and Yuu touched his. They shared a beautiful, intimate moment together, and since then all Kouyou could think about was more. How much he wanted more, and how far he could go with his raven beau.

Kouyou wanted to go all the way.

But Yuu was a boy, and Kouyou only had experience in having sex with girls. Although he and Yuu had given each other handjobs already, Kouyou was uneducated beyond that.

Well, okay, he was obviously aware about what would happen next, and he knew about how males engaged in intercourse together.

Kouyou wasn't stupid; he knew that he'd be sticking his dick in Yuu's ass, but aside from that, he was pretty well in the dark, only accompanied by his common sense. Common sense like, he couldn't just stick it in, right? That would hurt, and probably end up in permanent damage that Kouyou shuddered at the thought of. There must be some steps and precautions he needed to take beforehand, right?

Well, according to this specific video, no. Kouyou skipped through the handjobs and blowjobs, only to be met with straight-to-the-point sex.

"That can't be right," the blond whispered under his breath, his eyebrow raised as he... found himself unable to look away from the screen, despite the lack of preparation that must have been done off-camera. The breathy moans of the bottom intrigued Kouyou, and he couldn't tear his eyes off of the look of bliss on the actor's face. Would Yuu look like that, too?

A familiar heat started to brew in Kouyou's groin as his breath quickened, unbeknownst to him, as he watched the top pound into the other actor, his cock slipping in and out in such a perfect rhythm. The way the bottom's full buttocks rippled against the force of the hips thrusting into him was enough to make Kouyou shift his body uncomfortably as he tried to will down his pending erection, but to no avail. He kept watching, and his mind couldn't help but to imagine Yuu as that bottom actor, instead. He remembered how beautiful Yuu's face had been when Kouyou's hand was wrapped around his cock, and how adorable his moans were when he came. What would Kouyou's raven beau look like when he had Kouyou's cock inside of him? Kouyou wanted to know. He wanted to know so, so bad...

And so, the senior had no choice but to click off of the arousing video and get down to serious research. He had to get that boner under control...

Therefore, "how to have gay sex" was Kouyou's next search, and to his relief, the articles he found seemed to give pretty reliable, accurate information. He'd managed to ward off his erection as he let his mind take in all of this new knowledge.

Before long, he was powering down his laptop, fetching some lube and condoms from his nightstand (he'd always had some for emergencies)  and making his way out of his room, but not before shooting Yuu a text and receiving his reply.

He bid his father goodbye, telling him he was going out with his friends, and to his relief, the man let him go without any further interrogation.

~

Standing at the front door of Yuu's house, Kouyou rocked on his feet almost nervously after ringing the doorbell. Oh, god. Was it really going to happen tonight...?

"Kou!"

If Yuu was going to act that adorable all evening, then yes, it definitely was going to happen.

"Hi, Yuu," Kouyou greeted his smiling boyfriend with a warm grin of his own, resisting the urge to kiss the cute raven, and... failing.

As soon as the door had closed, Kouyou was wrapping his strong arms around the small of Yuu's back, yanking the smaller boy against himself.

"I missed you so much, Yuu." The raven let out a surprised breath before he let his hands rest atop Kouyou's firm pecs, glancing up at his taller boyfriend with playful eyes.

"I missed you too." That look alone was enough to make Kouyou lower his head and press his lips to Yuu's fuller ones, to which Yuu met eagerly, allowing Kouyou access to his mouth when the senior's tongue poked through.

But before the blond could deepen the kiss and express his most explicit desires, Yuu was removing his hands from Kouyou's chest, and then Kouyou's arms from his back.

"Okay, so, since you're here, can you help me get ready for our night out?" Yuu's request was not what Kouyou expected, but oh, his boyfriend was so cute, Kouyou couldn't resist letting him have his way.

"Sure. What do you need help with?" Kouyou responded, taking off his shoes and following Yuu to his bedroom—and as he walked behind the shorter boy, he just couldn't take his eyes off that perky little ass of his...

"Can you do my hair for me again? You always do it so nicely," Yuu complimented, to which Kouyou gave a smile in return, as well as a nod. Kouyou closed the door behind himself after Kiko let herself out, but not before brushing by Kouyou's leg with a soft meow. Yuu noticed this, and was glancing back at his boyfriend with a raised eyebrow. "She didn't hiss at you?"

"No." Kouyou recalled the lonely night he had spent at Yuu's house when they had first gotten together. "Remember when your mom made me sleep on the couch? Kiko came up to me before I fell asleep, and she nuzzled my hand before she ended up letting me pet her."

"She did?" Yuu looked surprised at the news. "She’s... never let a stranger touch her before."

At that, Kouyou was taken aback before he smirked cheekily. "Really? I must be pretty special, then."

From where Yuu was sitting at the mirror now, Kouyou heard him speak shyly, and could see a blush in the reflection of the raven. "You are pretty special."

~

Kouyou obliged and sat behind a cross-legged Yuu on the floor, the senior focused as he worked his styling magic on his boyfriend's long, soft locks of hair. But every brush of his fingers through the dark strands, every whiff of that beautiful floral scent... god, Kouyou really had to work hard to keep himself under control.

When Yuu would accidentally brush his back against the anterior of Kouyou's body, the senior had to work  _ extra  _ hard to keep himself in check.

"Oh, it already looks so good, Kou," Yuu smiled wide in the mirror, and Kouyou gave a pained "thanks" in return... because goddammit, his boyfriend was just too precious, and Kouyou was quickly losing it. He began by shamelessly inhaling the scent of Yuu's hair, letting his fingers tug at the long strands he had yet to style. "Kou..."

Kouyou's reply almost came out in a growl as the senior was unable to do anything but let his hands roam over Yuu's shoulders before they made contact with his slim waist, causing Yuu to flinch. "Yuu."

"Kouyou, we have to get ready—ah," the raven's reply was interrupted by Kouyou's lips when they attached themselves to his neck, licking and nipping softly, teasing him as Kouyou's hands played with Yuu's nipples over his shirt, the senior's front almost flush against the shorter boy's back. "Kouuu..."

"Later."

And then Kouyou had removed himself from behind Yuu, standing up, but not without grasping Yuu's small wrist in his large hand. Wordlessly the blond brought the raven up with him, and then was guiding him over to the bed. Kouyou sat down, patting his lap in invitation. Yuu was quick to catch on and plant his knees on the bed, on either side of Kouyou's hips so he was straddling his senior boyfriend. Kouyou couldn't help but take the squishy roundness of Yuu's bum in his hand and the raven was letting his arms drape around Kouyou's neck, an attempt to ground himself as the blond kneaded and groped at his rear.

Yuu's eyes were sensually lidded, but Kouyou could catch a similar glow of passion in those dark orbs that Kouyou knew he also possessed. It was then that Kouyou couldn't hold himself back anymore, and he was planting his lips forcefully upon Yuu's, easily picking up where they left off at the entrance of the house. The senior wasted no time in letting his tongue slip out to meet Yuu's, their lips moving hastily, eagerly, as the sounds of lewd, wet desires could be heard.

Reluctantly, Kouyou pulled back after he felt Yuu getting desperate for air, although his face remained so close, he was sure Yuu could feel his next words against his plush, reddened lips.

"Get on your knees for me, kitten. Pay me back for that phone I bought you."

Yuu was gasping for air, his lips pulling away ever so slightly from the heated kiss, a burning sensation running through his skin and throughout his entire body as he processed Kouyou’s request accompanied with that embarrassing name he had chosen for the raven.

The boy couldn’t deny the lust he felt and the desire which drove him further into the arousing position, straddling his boyfriend, and even though he knew exactly what the blond was referring to, Yuu was… scared.

“I…” he breathed, his fingers trembling slightly, tangling in the strands of hair falling at the sides of Kouyou’s neck. “I… haven’t… done this before.”

“You’ll be perfect,” Kouyou answered without hesitation, as if he were able to read the raven’s fears through his eyes.

Yuu could only stare at the blond for a brief moment, his inner voice calling out to him, saying it was too soon and he was not yet prepared to go that far, but his heart drummed in a different rhythm, coaxing the raven to finally give up and let loose all of his built up passion. God, he loved Kouyou so with so much passion, much of it unknown to him, he was able to accept and do anything for for the senior. Yuu had imagined them sharing such a moment before, his imagination going further enough to explore even the darkest ways of them being sexual and intimate with one another.

The thought alone excited him, because Yuu did want Kouyou in the same way the blond did, and wanted to see him in a state that only the raven was capable of putting him into.

Seconds had passed as Yuu finally shifted and stood up, only to kneel carefully between Kouyou’s knees on the bed a moment later. He was beginning to shake as he looked up at the blond, catching a glimpse of his half lidded eyes watching Yuu carefully from above. It sent an even hotter heat rushing throughout Yuu’s body, and his skin was burning as he finally made a move on his boyfriend. He rested his hands atop Kouyou’s chest, pushing him back, until the blond was resting on his elbows and forearms on the bed, never breaking that stern, intimidating eye contact between them.

Yuu’s hands then moved down his boyfriend’s body, caressing his shirt gently, fingers reaching the buckle of Kouyou’s belt and giving it a tug. He was clumsy as he tried to undo all that was standing in the way of the blond’s erection, Yuu already beginning to feel distressed, until he reached the last layer of fabric of Kouyou’s boxers covering the… quite hardened member of his boyfriend. He was able to see its outlines clearly as one of his hands caressed it gently, pulling the underwear down to reveal the pulsating flesh underneath. Yuu took a deep breath before circling his fingers around it and then giving it a gentle thrust up and down, shocked at the sight of how much it changed its size just by that small ministration.

How was that supposed to fit in his mouth?!

Nonetheless, Yuu lapped at his lips, knowing well what was coming next—he didn’t dare to look at the blond, his face flushed and red as he lowered his head, delivering his first small lick to the tip.

The skin was smooth and the sensation so new, Yuu closed his eyes and gave another lick until he let the head move past his parted lips. It fit inside of his mouth so perfectly, the tension in his jaw growing as he tried to keep it open at its maximum. Kouyou hissed as soon as the raven gave another thrust to the shaft with his hand and his tongue moved to pres and lap at the head of the erection still in his mouth. He tried his best to be gentle, his hand moving sensually up and down Kouyou’s member, until the boy decided to move his lips further down the shaft, taking more of it in his mouth.

“Ngh… Yuu… teeth.” Kouyou hissed once more and Yuu felt fingers in his hair, catching the strands falling at one of the sides of his face, lifting them up in a gentle grip.

Yuu was quick to fix his little mistake, his jaw growing even more tense as he tried to keep his head steady, moving along with his hand in sync, concentrating on protecting the sensitive skin in his mouth all the while. He was able to maintain an airflow to his lungs, managing to develop a steady rhythm soon after that before the fingers holding his hair began to tremble, giving Yuu a sign he was on the right path with his doings.

He was able to hear Kouyou’s breathing quickening and getting heavier. Yuu was beginning to feel aroused himself as he sensed something coating his tongue, his face scrunching up briefly. It was bitter and leaking from the head, pre-cum spilling and being the most obvious sign that whatever Yuu was doing right now, he was doing it  _ right. _

The raven felt more confidence rush through him and he quickened his pace slightly, hearing the blond growl somewhere above him.

“Yuu…” the blond almost moaned his name this time, the boy’s jaw clenching slightly but not enough for his teeth to brush at the heated flesh in his mouth. “Look at me.”

Yuu’s heartbeat was so strong, he felt like it was about to jump right out from his between his ribs. The boy was beyond embarrassed, his face feeling just as hot as the rest of his body as his senses relished in the moment, his mind giving in to the blond’s pleas completely.

He looked up slowly as to not disturb his movements, only to find Kouyou staring at him, his face looking so… so  _ intoxicated  _ with lust, licking his lips before speaking lowly.

“Just… like that.”

And then Yuu hollowed his cheeks, sucking at the cock in his mouth even harder, completely ignoring the pain in his jaw and refusing to break their eye contact for even a second.

Kouyou kept watching him shamelessly, the tension in his body growing as well as his growls, and as soon as Yuu felt the grip in his hair tightening, he saw the blond’s head falling back, a loud moan following after.

Yuu knew Kouyou was close at that, his desire for the blond wiping away all of his embarrassment, his hand and his mouth shamelessly working on the sensitive skin, thrusting and picking up the pace as he moved up and down Kouyou’s erection.

It didn’t take long until he sensed the pain at the roots of his hair, the senior tugging at it as his moans got louder and deeper. Yuu felt the flesh pulsate in between his lips, the pain and tension at his stretched jaw filling his eyes with tears, which spilled soon after he shut them closed.

His hand and mouth delivered several more intensive thrusts to Kouyou’s cock before a hot liquid spilled from the tip with such intensity that the raven quickly failed to drink it all up, several droplets making their way out of his mouth and dripping down his chin and neck. His hand kept moving, slowly coaxing Kouyou into spilling every last bit of his seed, the blond’s moans slowly dying down as he did so, and Yuu’s lips kept brushing at the head, tongue tickling the tip… teasing it.

The raven managed to gulp one last time before removing his lips from Kouyou’s cock, his eyes half lidded as he saw his senior rising up, hovering above him.

“Good kitten,” the blond whispered then, one of his hands reaching down to wipe off the bitter liquid from the smooth skin of Yuu’s chin, absolutely lost in the moment as the sensation of Yuu's perfectly plumped lips around his cock was more than Kouyou could have ever dreamed of. The way Yuu used his tongue and hollowed his cheeks to give Kouyou the most exceptional amount of suction and teasings to the sensitive skin of his erection had him feeling like he'd been intoxicated with a drug so powerful, the blond didn't know who he was or what was happening around him, other than the blissful sensation of Yuu giving him the ultimate form of pleasure with his mouth.

But Kouyou was greedy, and he knew there was more pleasure to be had.

"I did good?" Yuu asked, perking up at Kouyou's praise and nickname after the senior had successfully wiped away all remnants of the seed from the raven's chin.

"You did great, kitten," Kouyou murmured, a satisfied smirk on his face as he allowed his forehead to rest upon Yuu's, gazing into his eyes tenderly. "I couldn't have asked for better." The blond's voice was low, territorial but genuine as he praised his beloved kitten, and he was panting quite hard as a result of his high and the trials Yuu had just put him through. The other boy's breathing was just as rapid after having his airway obscured by Kouyou's member, although he was regaining it impressively fast—and when he did, Kouyou found himself leaning down to practically collide his lips with Yuu's as if his life depended on it. Their kiss was shamefully messy as Kouyou tasted himself through his boyfriend's mouth, the act taboo—although in the heat of the moment, the senior didn't care as he easily pushed the raven down onto his back, Kouyou hovering over him as they made out with such passion, the fire in the blond's pelvis was re-igniting against his will. It was then, he realized, that he wouldn't be satisfied tonight with just a blowjob from Yuu, despite the fact it was heavenly.

No, Kouyou wouldn't be satisfied, because he knew that more was waiting for him.

"Nngh, Kou," Kouyou felt Yuu moan against his lips as soon as Kouyou had started to feel him up with his right hand, over his nipples and flat chest before trailing down his stomach, getting so close, so so close...

"You're hard," the older pointed out, the fact so obvious Yuu was blushing after after Kouyou's hand had made its way to his boyfriend's neglected erection. He let his hand rub over it softly, smirking against Yuu's lips as the raven writhed underneath his body.

Yuu could only respond in a string of choked moans when Kouyou palmed it harder, rougher and more vigorously, the senior continuing to press messy kisses to the raven's mouth and then to his neck, reducing the boy into a beautiful, whimpering mess.

And then Kouyou was removing his lips from Yuu's neck as he crawled down the boy's body in an almost animalistic, predatory manner, his eyes locked on Yuu's beautifully parted lips and the way he gasped when Kouyou rubbed his clothed cock just the right way.

But the sudden jolt of Yuu's body signaled to Kouyou that the raven hadn't anticipated his next move, which was taking Yuu's hardened member into his hand after slipping the raven's pants and boxers down to the base of his hips, just at his groin—and Yuu shivered at the feeling of Kouyou's warm hand touching his most sensitive parts contrasting against the chiller room temperature.

And Yuu really, really hadn't expected Kouyou's next action after that, because he was letting out a loud, breathy moan, his back arching beautifully when Kouyou slipped his tongue out to meet the tip of Yuu's cock that had now reached full hardness.

"Kouyou!" The senior felt fingers lace through his smooth locks, and he couldn't take his eyes off of Yuu's sensual, blissful figure reacting so lewdly to Kouyou's every touch.

The tugging at his hair became almost painful when Kouyou laid his tongue flat over the head, a small teaser for what was to come. Yuu's moans were enough to urge him on into letting his lips form a circle around the widest part of the head, and at the same time, Kouyou let his tongue press at the slit, its tip dipping in.

The feeling was undeniably odd for Kouyou, because he had no experience in this area. Yuu was in the same boat, but he'd been aware of his sexuality for much longer than his blond boyfriend and even admitted to watching porn, and Kouyou wouldn't be surprised to hear that giving head was something Yuu had thought of before. But Kouyou hadn't, not until now and briefly when he educated himself before he arrived, although it had been a fleeting thought.

But now, in the spur of the moment as Kouyou found it quite easy to slip Yuu's cock into his mouth without discomfort, he figured it was futile to dwell on the thought. What mattered was now, and the pleasure Kouyou seemed to be returning to Yuu despite the senior being completely inexperienced.

If anything, Yuu's gasps and wiggles were enough to let Kouyou know he was doing a good job, especially when the blond felt particularly daring and allowed his tongue to lick a long stripe down Yuu's erection as he lowered his mouth down onto the organ, taking it up to its base. It wasn't long before he felt the courage to begin bobbing his head up and down in a steady rhythm, and he had to keep a secure hold on Yuu's bucking hips.

"Oh, Kouyou!"

"Feel good, kitten?" Kouyou smirked once he pulled his mouth off of Yuu's erection, letting it slip out from between his lips and watching it spring back and slap against Yuu's stomach, as the boy's shirt had ridden up and exposed the smooth skin underneath. The senior licked away a strand of saliva still connecting his mouth to the tip of Yuu's cock, feeling it snap and attach itself to his chin.

"So good, Kou, so good..."

And then, in a fit of a brilliant idea and pure, untamable passion, Kouyou was suddenly grasping at Yuu's hips and trying to flip his boyfriend onto his stomach.

"Kou—?"

"On your stomach, Yuu," Kouyou voiced lowly, and to his satisfaction, his raven boyfriend was submitting to his sudden order.

Shamelessly, Kouyou let his intense, hungry gaze feist upon the sight of his boyfriend's backside as soon as the raven had flipped over. His pale, naked buttocks jiggling ever so slightly in the most delicious way, and it took all of Kouyou's (very little, by this point) self control to not ravage it right then and there. Yuu's long hair was draped down his back and over his shoulders, just begging to be pulled...

But Kouyou had to focus at the primary task on hand, which was exciting him more by the second.

"Kouyou?"

"Yes, my beloved kitten?"

"What are you—oh!" Yuu's timid inquiries were abruptly cut off by the feeling of the blond's hands wrapping themselves around the hems of both the pesky underwear and pants that were still hugging Yuu's waist, sitting just under the curved junction of where the raven's butt met his thighs. After he had a good grip, Kouyou was practically yanking them down Yuu's smooth thighs and eventually off of his legs entirely, and Kouyou had to be careful not to hurt Yuu's ankle in the process of tugging them harshly, impatiently, off of the raven's feet and onto the floor, leaving his beau bare from the waist down.

"Fuck," Kouyou cursed, lowering his body down so his front was flush with the curve of Yuu's back, effectively pinning him down as the senior allowed himself to firstly indulge in the floral scent of Yuu's hair that he loved so goddamn much, burying his nose into the strands that tickled his face. "You're so beautiful, Yuu."

"And you're... embarrassing...!" Yuu managed to moan out, his breaths quick as the weight of Kouyou on top of him knocked out some of his air supply—plus the fact that the room had gotten hot, and both boys were panting for oxygen amongst their passionate endeavours. Kouyou's eyes were closed as he delighted himself in Yuu and only Yuu, his scent intoxicating and the curves of his body so provocative and fitting against the blond's like puzzle pieces.

"Yuu," Kouyou murmured in a growl, his eyes still closed although he could sense his lips being near the other boy's ear. His hands had intertwined themselves with Yuu's absentmindedly, but he was letting one go in order to caress the surface of the raven's shoulder. The blond smirked when his boyfriend shivered at the initial touch, and kept shivering as the hand made contact with his waist. "Tell me."

"What?" Yuu replied, his voice breathy as he tried, yet failed to comprehend what Kouyou had said.

"Tell me—have you ever played with yourself... back here?"

"Wh—oh!" Kouyou had effectively cut off Yuu's sentence when the blond lifted his hips up slightly, making room for the hand that he had now slipped between their bodies and had used to start prodding at Yuu's most sacred place.

"Come on, confess to me kitten." Kouyou felt Yuu tremble again under his sudden touch, to which the senior found himself smirking at. But when Yuu didn't shake him off, Kouyou grew more daring and allowed his finger to circle the rim of his boyfriend's puckered entrance between his plump ass cheeks. "Have you ever fingered yourself before?"

The way Yuu shuddered under Kouyou's contact and the lewdness of his words that were spoken so unabashedly had the blond chuckling in a low voice, his breath warm against Yuu's ear. He could feel the sudden tensing of Yuu under him as the raven comprehended his words in full, and the initial shock they had instilled in him.

"I... um..." Yuu's sentence seemed to trail off, and instantly Kouyou knew what had caused it. It was his boyfriend's own shame to admitting that he had indeed done what the blond inquired about, but Kouyou wanted to hear it straight from those addicting, beautiful lips that the senior couldn't ever get enough of.

At Yuu's response, Kouyou merely let out a curious hum as he raised his eyebrow, although the smaller boy couldn't see it from where his face was buried in the sheets, clearly overtaken with embarrassment that Kouyou found adorable. The hum was a signal that let Yuu know the blond wouldn't be letting him go without a proper answer, and so to Kouyou's irresistible nature, Yuu was parting his mouth to speak reluctantly, shyly, in a whisper.

"I... I have."

"What did you do, Yuu?" Kouyou pushed further, beyond satisfied with the news Yuu had delivered to him. "When you touched yourself here?" The sentence was completed by another prod to the raven's hole, Kouyou's spent cock already beginning to stir to life at these new, lewd revelations that his apparently-not-so-pure boyfriend had confessed to.

"I f-fingered myself there," Yuu murmured, and the blond above him was smirking like mad at the unearthing of these indecent acts that Kouyou had managed to coax out of the mouth of his boyfriend.

"Here?"

"There,  _ oh," _ Yuu moaned aloud when Kouyou pushed his finger just millimeters past the initial ring of his sphincters, teasing him slowly.

"What did you think about when you fingered yourself in your ass, Yuu?" Oh, Kouyou was so bold, so immodest in the way he spoke. But he wouldn't stop, not with the way it made his kitten react so cutely. "Tell me, baby. Tell me what thoughts you pleasured yourself to."

At that, Yuu was letting out a gasp. "Y-you... I thought of... of you..."

"Me?" Kouyou allowed himself to chuckle again, feeling Yuu shiver from the hot breath against his neck and the way the blond teased his entrance down below. "You thought of me when you fingered yourself. Tell me more, kitten..."

"I thought of... your fingers, and your c-cock..." God, Yuu was so precious, so timid in the way he spoke about his private endeavours, and yet erotic in the way he admitted to his most lewd desires. It had Kouyou removing himself from Yuu's back, letting the raven take a big inhale of the oxygen he'd been deprived with Kouyou's heavy weight on top of him. It had Kouyou shuffling his body backwards so that his head was hovering right above Yuu's ass as he lowered himself down onto his elbows, coming face-to-face with the delicacy he'd fantasized about for so long.

"You thought about my fingers and my cock inside of you, Yuu?" Yuu let out a whine at Kouyou's words, and a breathy moan when the blond took rough hold of his round ass cheeks in his hands. Kouyou kneaded the flesh, pulling it apart to showcase the small, pink hole that he'd only ever dreamed of, before squishing the mounds back together and shielding it from view. "How lucky. You'll get to experience the real things tonight—and more."

The blond was pulling the cheeks apart again, and before Yuu could respond with more than a surprised gasp, Kouyou was delivering a teasing lick to the raven's hole with a quick flick of his tongue, and instantly Yuu could be felt shuddering under the contact both boys has craved for so long, yet had been nothing but a figment of their imaginations. But now, as Kouyou finally had Yuu in his grasp and under his total control, he couldn't help himself but to indulge in what he craved. And so, without so much as another breath, Kouyou was placing open-mouthed kisses along the curves of Yuu's smooth ass cheeks before delving into the raven's forbidden hole once again, letting the saliva built up in his mouth smear itself in the cleft that was just as smooth as the skin of the raven's bum. Kouyou smirked at the way Yuu shuddered under every miniscule touch, holding his boyfriend's cheeks firmly as his tongue flattened itself over the entrance, tasting Yuu in his entirety. The blond was pleased to taste the faint scent of floral soap, and his budding arousal nearly skyrocketed at the knowledge that Yuu had done some preparing for this on his end, too.

But the thought was quickly interrupted by a loud moan coming from the raven when the tip of Kouyou's tongue dipped into the sphincter slightly, once Kouyou had figured that enough of his saliva had been gathered to use as a little bit of a lubricant. Kouyou had to hold Yuu steady by his ass as his body shuddered and twitched under the teasing pleasures wracking his body so soon.

"Ah, Kou! Oh, feels good, ah..." the raven let out a chorus of moans, which only served to drive the senior into delivering harsher licks, and more often as his goal was to please Yuu and deliver him the same bliss that Yuu had brought to the blond in more ways than one. "Kouyouuuu...!"

The sound of Yuu's evident pleasure spurred Kouyou on, and his licks were eager, flicking the tip of his tongue against the rim of the raven's hole, before circling it slowly and then licking a long stripe from Yuu's scrotum, over his taint and back to the now pulsating muscle of his impatient asshole.

He ate Yuu out without remorse, his boyfriend writhing under his hold in a way that satisfied Kouyou in that he knew what he was doing was good, and that he was doing it right.

But it wasn't long before Kouyou dipped his tongue in more, stretching Yuu's first few muscles slowly, easing him into what was going to come—but Yuu was impatient, and urged the blond into using a finger alongside his tongue, which Kouyou eagerly obliged to. He didn't let his middle finger go past its first knuckle, knowing that saliva wasn't a sufficient enough form of lubrication for further penetration, but even that small amount of insertion was enough to have Yuu wriggling under Kouyou's complete dominance and the need for more.

Yuu wasn't the only one who needed more. As much as Kouyou would love to continue tasting his beau's delicious ass all evening, there were much more important matters ahead, and the blond was growing beyond impatient.

"Yuu," Kouyou growled between licks, "I need you. I need you so fucking bad."

"I need you, Kouyou," Yuu replied, muffled by the sheets as the blond behind him continued to lap at his hole and slowly prepare him down south, and at the sound of it Kouyou was letting out a nearly feral noise at the so shamelessly deprived demeanor of his raven boyfriend as his cock had stirred entirely back to life. It was clear Yuu wanted this just as bad as Kouyou did, and the knowledge only spurred the blond on further. There was no turning back now—not after they'd gotten so far, and certainly not after Yuu had revealed so many dark, deep desires to the senior.

It wasn't long before Kouyou's licks dwindled at the nearly overflowing amount of restlessness he could feel himself cracking under, knowing that his passion and his lust had long become undone and was almost impossible to keep controlled by that point. Yuu could be heard whimpering at the loss of Kouyou's tongue at his entrance, his body twitching and shuddering, his sphincters pulsing with the need to be filled by Kouyou. Kouyou had clumsily moved back from Yuu's ass to fiddle within his pockets, searching for the two items he needed which he fished out soon after. Once they had been retrieved and dropped onto the bed beside Yuu's hips, Kouyou ridded himself of his pants and his underwear, carelessly tossing them to the floor as his lower half was now exposed in its entirety.

At the sound of fabric being disposed of, Yuu was glancing back over his shoulder. Kouyou couldn't help but smirk inwardly at the way the raven's eyes widened and he immodestly stared at how well the blond was endowed, before his eyes trailed to the shapely V-lines of Kouyou's sculpted hips, creating the perfect pathway up to his just as toned abdomen. Yuu's face went red as he blushed, and the adorableness had Kouyou restraining himself, for the millionth time that evening, from taking the raven right then and there.

"You're staring."

"Huh—?" Kouyou's voice snapped Yuu out of his gaze, and the younger was quick to avert his eyes and stutter shyly, as if he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't have. "Um, I'm s-sorry, I didn't..."

"Don't apologize. I'm glad you like what you see. You deserve only the best, my kitten," Kouyou sweet-talked, allowing Yuu to gawk at his form for a few seconds longer, because Kouyou knew he'd do the same to Yuu's body for as long as they both lived. Christ, the senior still couldn't believe how much of an absolute beauty he had scored—which was why Kouyou was now moving to kneel between Yuu's spread, smooth legs, almost like they were a gate that had been opened to him and him only, revealing a paradise only he was lucky enough to unlock.

The blond picked up the lube bottle, popping the cap, and Yuu was glancing back over his shoulder again.

"Kouyou? Do you... know what you're doing?"

The senior nodded reassuringly at the fretful voice of his boyfriend, grabbing Yuu's plump ass in his hands as he hummed. "I did some research before I came over. I have to finger you first, right? Get your muscles stretched before I fuck you."

And there was that adorable blush again at the blond's indecent words. "That's right..."

"Yuu," Kouyou whispered, his dominant demeanor switching over into a more caring, nurturing one, "please. You have to tell me if you're uncomfortable with this, or if I'm doing something wrong. I couldn't... fuck," the senior cursed, "I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you, Yuu. I'd be so devastated. I want to make our first time special, and I want it to feel good for you as much as it does for me."

At Kouyou's obviously distressed words concerning Yuu's well-being in the most intimate act the two would ever engage in, Yuu's unsure facial expression morphed into one that was soft, one that was relieved and one that, most importantly, trusted Kouyou.

"Oh, Kou... you've already done so much better than I could have ever imagined," the raven confessed, and Kouyou was laying atop his body once more as the blond placed kisses upon Yuu's shoulders and hair, before decorating his cheeks and every part of his boyfriend's face that he could reach. Yuu giggled between words. "I trust that you know what you're doing, and that you'll be careful with me—because I want this, Kouyou. God, I want it so bad, I have for the longest time."

Yuu's confession had Kouyou leaning forward to meet the raven's lips in a kiss that was so full of love and care, both boys found themselves breathless in record time as they made their desires known to one another, as they finally let their passions surface and the undying need to seal their emotions in the most intimate ritual known to man.

"Oh, Yuu," Kouyou murmured, his voice soft against Yuu's ear, "you have no idea what this means to me. I just... I don't want to hurt you."

"Kouyou, I'll tell you if I'm in pain," Yuu promised quickly at the blond's distress once more, instantly soothing him, "I trust you, and I trust that you know what you're doing. And if you don't, I'll help you out, okay?"

In that moment, Koutou was the happiest being alive. To have Yuu's full trust was more than he could have ever asked for, and the fact that he was officially given the go-ahead to make love with the raven he so desired had the blond in a state of what seemed like cloud nine, the seventh heaven. He could barely process the situation and Yuu's words, unable to truly believe that they had been real, until he felt Yuu wriggling from underneath him.

"Kouyou..."

The blond in question hummed inquisitively at the sound of Yuu's voice pulling him out of his daze. "Hmm?"

"Enough talk... I need you to fuck me already, please."

The lewdness of Yuu's words forced another feral growl out of Kouyou, the sheer frustrations and burning lust resurfacing as he removed himself from his boyfriend's back in order to start preparing the raven for what they both were so desperate for. He kneeled between the raven's thighs, hands groping Yuu's round bum for support as he set himself into a comfortable enough position to allow him to focus on his boyfriend's comfort and safety, prioritizing it above all else as he wanted to make their first time unforgettable in the best way possible.

Yuu's body was relaxed as Kouyou settled in behind him, to which the blond was relieved. It would make the process that much easier, and even as Kouyou popped open the cap again, Yuu merely glanced back over his shoulder once more, although this time he was casting the senior a look that spoke louder than all the indecent words the raven had spoken thus far. His dark eyes were half-lidded as he wiggled his hips teasingly, his ass jiggling in response to the movement that Kouyou couldn't resist looking at. The dark strands of messy hair were draping down his face and across the curve of his back, over his shoulders and splaying over the close surface of the sheets underneath his head as it rested on his folded arms.

Kouyou would be damned if he didn't catch Yuu smirking, too.

"My kitten," Kouyou returned the smirk, his voice low as the grip on the raven's ass became harsher, Yuu's subtle playfulness already affecting him beyond something he could handle, "if you tease me like that, I can't guarantee you'll come out completely unscathed."

Yuu let out a gasp at not only Kouyou's playful yet threatening words, but at the sudden movements of the blond, as he had began kneading the raven's ass firmly with his large hands and running his thumb along the hole between the cheeks, smearing what had been left of his saliva from earlier. At the sight of the muscles that were now pulsating in anticipation for what was to come, Kouyou found himself unable to hold back any longer as he poured some lube on the tip of his middle finger. Kouyou watched as Yuu kept his glance casted over his shoulder, staring at the lube that was dripping down the digit with a lustful gaze. The older boy returned the look, his features illuminated with that same desire. It was as though Yuu's sensual facial expression was the silent go-ahead, which Kouyou promptly answered momentarily.

"Ah," Yuu gasped once the blond had prodded at his entrance with his lubricated finger, merely testing the waters at first, "cold."

Rubbing curiously at the muscles with the tip of his finger, Kouyou smirked at his boyfriend's initial, cute reaction to the feeling of his finger against his asshole. The raven twitched slightly as he became more accustomed to the temperature, relaxing more and more by the moment which made it all to easy for Kouyou to finally penetrate his boyfriend with just the tip of his finger, at first, allowing Yuu time to relax and mentally prepare himself for the finger, and what was going to come soon enough.

The moans that Yuu let out at such a small intrusion went straight to Kouyou's cock, which would twitch in the open air at every breath or sound of pleasure that left the raven's beautifully parted lips—because if he was already reacting so well to Kouyou's finger, fuck, the blond knew neither of them would last long once the two boys were to finally become one.

"It feels alright?" Kouyou inquired cautiously, although Yuu's sphincters and inner walls of muscle were allowing the senior's finger to slip in without any trouble. It had already been swallowed up past his second knuckle, and curiously he allowed the digit to wriggle and twist inside, even thrusting, aiding in the stretching of Yuu's muscles—although one specific, downward 'come hither' motion of Kouyou's finger had the raven suddenly squirming with an audible cry. "Yuu? Are you okay?"

"Kouyou! Fuck," the raven cried out, but to Kouyou's relief it was a cry of pleasure instead of pain. "Do that again!"

And so Kouyou did, feeling the tip of his finger brush against something small and odd when he flexed it downwards again, and that something odd seemed to be an incredible source of pleasure for Yuu. The knowledge made the blond senior grin, pleased that he had been able to deliver such a sensation to his boyfriend.

Although the moans of the raven-haired boy were roping Kouyou into finishing Yuu with his finger right then and there, the blond knew he couldn't allow it—not when there was so much pleasure still waiting for them both. That was why, when Kouyou inserted a second finger, and then a third after adding more lubrication, he teased that special spot inside of Yuu sparingly, not wanting him to reach his orgasm yet. Not when Kouyou still had to fuck his brains out, first.

After a few more minutes of careful preparation, the blond was able to thrust his three fingers in and out of Yuu with ease, as his hole had fully adjusted to the stretch, pulsing almost needily around Kouyou's fingers as if it was asking for more—and what could Kouyou do, other than oblige? Especially when Yuu was gasping and moaning amongst the incoherent sentences and words that left his lips, his body convulsing with sensation and his hips pushing backwards as to try and take in as much of Kouyou as possible.

"Please," Yuu managed to murmur somewhat coherently, even after a particularly harsh thrust and scissor of Kouyou's fingers inside of him. "I need you. I need you to fuck me already, Kouyou!"

"Fuck," Kouyou growled in an instant, involuntarily reaction to his boyfriend's immodest commands. He retracted his fingers from the raven, smearing the slimy lube on his ass cheek before giving it a smack that wasn't hard enough to leave a mark, but just enough to evoke a slight scare in his beau. "Fuck, I can't wait anymore, Yuu. I can't believe I've lasted this long." The senior clumsily reached for the condom that had been tossed onto the bed a little while ago, unwrapping it with shaky hands as he rolled it onto his fully erect cock. It throbbed at the light touches of his own hands.

"Kouyouuuu," Yuu was whining now, his voice broken and interrupted by his quickened, gasping breaths, hitching as a familiar weight came down on top of his body again after that weight had stripped him of his shirt.

"What is it, my beautiful kitten?" Kouyou smirked against Yuu's hair once he had gotten his own shirt off, laying his body down on top of the raven's, his warm, toned chest meeting the soft, pale skin of Yuu's curved back.

"I... nnngh, need... need..." Yuu's response was completely incoherent as Kouyou kissed him again, the blond able to understand the raven simply through the eagerness in which Yuu had returned the advance. It was messy but full of unspoken desire as it connected them—but Kouyou wanted to be connected with Yuu in an entirely different way.

"Let me love you, Yuu. Please."

"Ah... ah, make love to me, Kouyou...!"

After one more simple peck to Yuu's desperate lips, Kouyou was pushing himself off of his boyfriend, the raven so flushed and absolutely adorable. He was back to kneeling in between Yuu's spread legs, although he was soon reaching down to harshly pull the raven up to a position on his knees and elbows by grabbing his hips and yanking them up. Yuu yelped at the sudden change in position and at Kouyou's physical, unspoken command, his face red as Kouyou stared unwavering at the gracefully arched back and round buttocks raised and on display, his pulsating hole dripping with leftover lubrication in plain view. Kouyou couldn't help but to run the rough pad of his thumb over it, his palm on Yuu's ass as his boyfriend whimpered and pleaded, begged and cried...

Kouyou took a deep breath and steadied himself behind Yuu, keeping his hips still as he ever so slightly walked forward on his knees, holding his cock at the base as he directed the tip to simply prod at the other boy's asshole, a small alert to let him know that he was there, and this was really going to happen. Yuu's body twitched at the small bit of contact, as did Kouyou's cock after being unattended to for so long, despite his earlier orgasm, and the blond kept Yuu steady by increasing the grip of his hand on his ass.

"Tell me you're okay, Yuu."

"I am," Yuu whispered back, his head buried in the sheets in an obvious attempt to hide his blush. "I'm okay, Kouyou. Just... please, god, put it in already."

"Yuu..." Kouyou gave another experimental push with his hips after slathering some more lubrication onto Yuu's asshole and slicking up his own cock, the raven's verbal consent pushing him beyond a point he knew he couldn't come back from as he felt his cock start to become engulfed in the tight, pleasant heat that was his boyfriend's beautiful, awaiting, eager body, always just begging to be taken advantage of, to be ravaged, to be worshipped and to be loved. Yuu instilled so many different feelings and emotions in Kouyou, the blond didn't know how he was supposed to cope—or be entirely satisfied after becoming one with Yuu only once. He already knew he would never be able to get enough of this raven boy, and Kouyou had only just barely pushed the head of his erection into Yuu.

"Kouyou, oh, Kou," Yuu moaned softly, face scrunched in discomfort and pleasure as his hips rocking back and forth on their own as they impatiently tried to take in more of Kouyou, and Yuu's muscles were relaxed as they took him in so easily. Kouyou let out another feral-sounding growl as the head of his cock disappeared inside of Yuu, which in turn allowed the blond to slide the rest of his length in effortlessly, Yuu's ass taking him up to the base. The head had been the worst of the stretch, and Kouyou was relieved to see Yuu's face soften into a blissful expression that was all pleasure and no pain.

"Yuu, god, you already feel amazing," Kouyou panted, both of his hands settling on Yuu's pert ass now in an attempt to ground himself from the immense pleasure he was soon guaranteed to get lost in as Yuu's muscles pulsated around his cock in the most delicious way, providing him with a warmth and a pleasure he would have never known otherwise.

But Kouyou knew there was still more awaiting him. "Can I start moving?"

Instantly, Yuu's muscles were contracting and his body was twitching with impatient anticipation for what was to come. "Yes, please, oh fuck, please start moving!"

That was all Kouyou needed to have his final shard of self-control shattered into miniscule bits as he pulled his hips back, keeping the head of his cock inside of Yuu as he squeezed the raven's butt for support, before thrusting in harsh enough to evoke a loud cry from his boyfriend.

"Feels... feels so good, ah! Again!"

It was as though Yuu now held all power over the older blond as Kouyou realized that cry wasn't in pain, but in ecstasy and a plead for more; and so Kouyou gave him more, pulling his hips back before thrusting forward again, earning another moan from his beautiful kitten, and then another and another as the senior built up a steady rhythm, thrusting harshly in an out of Yuu as Yuu matched his speed and rhythm with the hips.

The way the younger boy's ass rippled against the force of Kouyou's hips was mesmerizing to watch as it contrasted with the lithe form of the rest of Yuu's body. Yuu was rocking forward and back as his senior boyfriend pounded into him in a way that was purely lustful, almost feral as Kouyou wracked his boyfriend's entire body with shudders as well as elicited needy moans and incoherent gasps from his lips.

The feeling of becoming one with the boy he loved so much had Kouyou well off into a bliss he never thought was obtainable; in all the girls he'd had sex with before, none of them were able to give him even a fraction of the pleasure, stimulation, and emotion that Yuu had so easily managed to make him come undone with, and to finally engage in the most intimate possible act with his boyfriend was more than Kouyou thought he could handle—which was why, when his groans became erratic as did his breaths, he was pulling his hips back and slipping his cock out of Yuu.

"Wha—?"

"On... on your back," Kouyou panted in response to Yuu's confusion, and when Yuu was too dazed to comply, the blond had no choice but to grab his boyfriend harshly by the hips and flip him over himself. The raven let out a yelp when he was grabbed, but Kouyou was quick to silence him as he crawled over top of the boy, meeting his lips in a passionate kiss once again. "I want to see your face when you come. I want to see what you look like when I make love to you."

"Kouyou, ah!" Yuu gasped against his senior's lips when the blond made no hesitation in penetrating him again, shoving his cock all the way in as he couldn't live being disconnected with Yuu after they had gone through so much together. "Oh, oh, Kou..."

"Yuu, look at me, please," Kouyou breathed, his hips picking up their pace again, feeling Yuu's cock throb between their stomachs at every thrust. "Look at me, kitten. Let me see your beautiful face."

Yuu's eyes, which had previously been shut, were now half-lidded as he clung to Kouyou with his thighs and his hands grasping the blond's shoulders for support. He met Kouyou's dark eyes, which were somehow so bright and so, so full of love, and the blond was capturing the raven's lips in a soft kiss, conveying all that he felt in an electric shock that wracked both boy's bodies as they were one, as they could almost read each other's thoughts and feel every emotion the other was harbouring. Kouyou's thrusts slowed as the moment became overbearingly sentimental, clinging to Yuu's body as much as Yuu was clinging to his—and his next words came out as no surprise to either of them.

"I love you, Yuu. I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you. I love you so much..."

But there was surprise at Yuu's next words.

"I love you too, Kouyou. More than words can say." And so Kouyou was shutting Yuu up with another kiss as he grinned into the raven's plump lips, absolutely euphoric at the newfound confession as his hips picked up their pace again and both boys reached their final, most ultimate high, gazing into one another's eyes and kissing until there was no more breath left to sacrifice, conveying all that words could not.

Yuu made, as Kouyou expected, the most beautiful, ecstatic face as he came in unison with the blond. It was more than Kouyou could have ever possibly imagined, with his lips so perfectly parted in an 'O', gasping and moaning and crying out for Kouyou as he clawed at his back and scrunched his eyes shut as the sensations became too much for him to handle. Kouyou could practically taste the sweetness of Yuu's breath combined with the scent of his floral locks that the blond had buried his face in more than once; none of it was ever going to be enough, Kouyou was certain.

And now, gasping and heaving in each other's hold as they came down from the simultaneous high, neither one of them could speak as they indulged in the silence following the unbreakable connection they had just established between themselves.

Not until Kouyou started to play mindlessly with Yuu's now-messy strands of dark hair, at least.

"I... guess I'll have to do your hair again, won't I?"

Yuu was breathing so heavily his mind was nearly blank. The only things he was able to register were his surroundings and the warmth of Kouyou’s body resting atop his own; their figures fit each other’s curves so perfectly, the raven couldn’t miss the drumming of the blond’s heart syncing with the racing of his own. Yuu had never felt so connected with another human being before, e didn’t know what to do, nor think, didn’t know if the soreness and the slight pain in his body was normal—but he didn’t care. In fact, he enjoyed it, as the reason for it all was none other than Kouyou, the boy which now claimed both Yuu’s body and his soul. It was something so intimate for Yuu, the raven simply refused to come to his senses, and dived deeper into their post orgasmic moment instead.

The raven was calm, feeling loved and secure for the first time in the most sacred way possible. Kouyou’s words still rang in his ears as the boy recalled the moment of their confession over and over in his head, his face turning more red as he smiled gently, feeling the blond’s fingers in his hair as they played mindlessly with the locks.

Yuu chuckled softly after registering Kouyou’s words a moment later, pointing out the mess they had made and reminding them both they still had an outing to attend, leaving them with little time to recover from their orgasms.

“You’re right,” Yuu chuckled again and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth emitting from his boyfriend. “We have time, though.”

“You’re still underage and we can’t stay in the bar for too long, so we should go earlier.” Kouyou’s voice sounded so tired that the raven almost felt sleepy himself, his eyes closing for a moment as another bout of comfortable silence fell upon them.

But it didn’t last long, because the blond moved on top of Yuu, lifting himself up and staring at the raven boy beneath him, his eyes happy and sentimental… smiling.

“You said you love me,” he pointed out, and that embarrassed Yuu immediately, yanking him back to earth and wiping away any haziness in his mind.

“Of course I do.” The raven almost pouted at his boyfriend, but he couldn’t hide the dark thoughts which invaded his mind, memories of his past flashing in front of his eyes as he quickly avoided Kouyou’s gaze a second later.

“What is it?” The president sounded worried and Yuu cursed at himself, realizing he managed to jinx their moment and so easily on top of that.

“I am sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.” Yuu bit his lip and gathered enough courage to look at Kouyou again. “I fell in love with you long before you kissed me. I’m just… not in the habit of saying those words, even to my mom. The last time I actually said them to someone, I was fucked over pretty badly.”

“Takanori,” Kouyou noted darkly, and Yuu nodded in return, not daring to say anything more on the matter.

“I love you.” The raven repeated those words with a lot more confidence, his eyes boring into Kouyou’s, and the gorgeous blond senior smiled widely before placing a quick peck on Yuu’s full lips.

“I love the sound of that.”

Yuu was ready to pull Kouyou close again and lock their lips into another passionate kiss, when the sound of strange clicking noises reached his ears and the boy froze in his spot.

Their smiles faded almost instantly as the noises continued, followed by a loud clang soon after that, sending both of them in a panicked frenzy.

“Mom,” Yuu whispered, completely terrified as he heard the faint noises of the front door opening, and Kouyou was out of the bed in a second, pulling Yuu up after him. They stressed, Yuu’s adrenaline going up, making his blood boil as the raven walked over to his wardrobe and searched for towels to use and wipe off the cum staining their bodies. He found them quickly and threw one at his boyfriend as his other hand worked on his abdomen, cleaning all of the white substance from his skin.

Yuu’s mind was going crazy and his body was lightning fast as he slipped into a shirt and a pair of jeans. He then quickly moved to his boyfriend, whose shaky hands failed to button up his own shirt, and the raven’s fingers worked wonders, finishing the job in the matter of seconds.

“Yuu, are you home?” His mother’s voice echoed throughout the corridor, and the raven was able to hear the nearing steps of her heels as they made contact with the floor.

“I locked the door,” Kouyou whispered into Yuu’s ear and the raven hyperventilated, running to the door, unlocking and opening it. His mother was already knocking on the frame and she smiled at them, surprise distorting her features as her eyes fell on the blond near Yuu’s bed.

“Hello, Kouyou. Yuu didn’t tell me you were coming over today, I should have prepared something special for dinner.”

“Oh… we… we’re going out, actually, we have something with Yutaka and the rest,” Yuu quickly answered for of his boyfriend and smiled awkwardly, his breathing quickening again as he prayed to the gods she wouldn’t get suspicious and ask him—or worse,  _ them _ —uncomfortable questions again.

His mother’s smile halted just a bit, but didn’t leave her face. She glanced at Kouyou and looked around the raven’s room before turning to her son again, her eyes looking malicious as she spoke.

“Alright, Yuu, don’t make them wait then. Have fun you boys.” And then the woman was out of their sight, her heels clicking down the corridor.

Yuu sighed as he released the air his lungs were holding in until now. Everything was going to be alright, she didn’t have any proof of what had happened between the boys, and even if she had suspicions, she couldn’t voice them nor tease him and turn his life into hell.  _ Right? _

And as Yuu turned around to look at his boyfriend again, his eyes fell on the bed and the raven’s cheeks burned with familiar embarrassment which crushed him completely this time.

He almost felt dizzy and his body leaned back against the wall behind him, his eyes turning watery.

“What is it?” Kouyou was shaken as he spoke.

“The lube...” was the raven’s simple response, and a dreadful silence fell upon them quickly after that as they both stared at the lonely tube laying atop the ruffled sheets of the bed.

They were so screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now was that worth the slow burn wait or WHAT :')


	29. Chapter 29

The boyfriends didn’t waste any time as they prepared for their night out, carefully avoiding Yuu’s mother at all costs. Kouyou spent some extra time with the raven’s hair, though, as he didn’t hesitate to cuddle the boy and steal couple of more kisses whenever the chance presented itself, making Yuu blush like he always did in response to Kouyou’s romantic advances.

The raven found it amusing, now, considering how lewd and shameless he was earlier when Kouyou took him on his bed, but something in the president was so adorable and sweet now, Yuu felt unworthy of it all.

He really loved Kouyou with all of his heart.

Hence he wanted to please him… always, and Yuu was wearing all black again, much to the blond’s delightful eyes. 

They cleaned everything and disposed of the condom, making extra sure Ms. Shiroyama didn’t get the chance to discover any more evidence of what had happened between them.

Yuu felt strangely disturbed and awkward that his mom was already suspicious, but it was also not enough to stop him from jumping into Kouyou’s arms the next time there was an opportunity for them to have sex.

In fact, he was still thinking of the way Kouyou yanked him onto the bed and ravaged him as they sat calmly inside of the blond’s car, driving towards the small bar where their meet up with the band was supposed to take place.

He wanted Kouyou so badly, Yuu was beginning to feel scared of himself. He never thought he could feel so sexual around someone before.

"You’re red again,” Kouyou pointed out all of a sudden, startling Yuu who had fallen deep into his thoughts again. “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.” Yuu’s voice was so timid, he couldn’t hide his embarrassment as the blond laughed at his cute reaction.

“I'm thinking of it too, don’t worry. It’ll be hard not to… especially since I’m already deprived of you.”

“But I’m right here.”

“You know what I mean, kitten.” The blond smirked and Yuu quickly averted his gaze, the boldness of his boyfriend sending chills down his spine.

“Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?” Kouyou asked probably for the millionth time that evening, and Yuu was growing annoyed already.

“I’m sure, already told you.  Kou, If you don’t stop asking me that, I’ll tell mom to never make you pancakes again.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll shut up.” The blond grinned as they finally arrived and the car was parked in front of a flashy looking bar, which made Yuu feel uncomfortable almost instantly. Kouyou noticed his intimidation and as they walked inside the loud, dim place, the senior allowed his hand to circle around the shorter boy’s shoulders to keep him close, the sides of their bodies touching.

Yuu blushed but didn’t move away, his eyes scanning the place cautiously, and he felt relieved as the only familiar faces he managed to see were the ones of their bandmates sitting at the back. They had drinks prepared already and, after greeting each other, Yuu noticed Takanori wasn’t sipping on something non-alcoholic, but a gin instead.

“What is happening here?” He raised an eyebrow as he got closer to the shorter blond’s ear, making sure the boy wouldn’t miss his teasing words.

“Aki bought me some real stuff to drink.” The boy’s smile was malicious and Kouyou quickly grabbed his best friend by the shoulder, teasing him with his next words.

“Who knew Akira could be such a nice, caring senior?”

At that, Akira almost choked on his own drink, glaring at Kouyou a second later. “He begged for that drink,” the blond shot in defence, but Yutaka defended his cousin immediately.

“He didn’t. You offered it yourself, actually.”

Kouyou snorted and hid his mouth with his palm, giggling, which prompted Akira to deliver a deadly blow with his elbow into the blond’s ribs.

Yuu couldn’t help but laugh as well, his suspicious eyes boring into Takanori’s guilty ones as the boy took another sip of his gin.

Something was definitely fishy about their friends, and he had to corner the short boy to get some answers asap.

"Alright, do you want something too, Yuu?" Kouyou changed the subject soon after he'd gotten over his immense laughter and the sudden pain of Akira delivering a silencing jab to his ribs, if only to avoid more attacks that his blond best friend certainly wouldn't fail to bestow upon him if Kouyou decided to tease him further. Despite it, though, Kouyou knew it wouldn't stop him from continuing to tease him more throughout their night, because the evidence of something blossoming between Akira and Takanori had practically been shoved in all of their faces by this point; plus, Kouyou was dying to get them both back for teasing him about Yuu all the time...

"Yes, please!" Yuu replied soon after, settling into the unoccupied side of the booth beside Yutaka, opposite Takanori and Akira who were indeed sitting closer than need be beside one another.

"Alright. Akira, come with me," Kouyou ordered his best friend who'd promptly ignored all that had been going on around him up until that point. "You look like you need a refill." He didn't, but Kouyou wanted the company anyways.

Actually, he didn't even want the company—he just wanted to have a few words with his best friend...

"Move your ass, Akira," Takanori jumped in, nudging the senior blond beside him out of the booth harshly. He still had a guilty look in his eyes, Kouyou noted, and after the initial teasing about the drink Akira had offered him, he probably wanted him gone and was thankful for Kouyou getting rid of Akira for him.

"Fine, Jesus," Akira grumbled, getting up out of the booth after a particularly powerful shove from Takanori. Yuu could be heard snickering from his seat at the scene, and Kouyou sent him a playful smirk back. Takanori resorted to sipping his drink in silence once the senior blond beside him had begrudgingly stood up only to shove past Kouyou at the shoulder when the president sent him a knowing smirk.

"Shut up, Shima..."

Kouyou followed Akira to the bar, leaving Yuu, Takanori and Yutaka behind (poor Yutaka, Kouyou didn't even want to think about what kind of probably explicit content he was being subjected to). Akira's stance was tense as he walked in front of Kouyou, completely avoiding eye contact or... any contact at all, really. Why the hell had Akira agreed to coming to the bar alone with Kouyou, then? He knew from the get-go that it would end up in nothing but interrogation.

And, well, the side of his body that Takanori had been pressed up against was starting to get cold, which just made him regret his decision more.

"So Yuu likes fruity things," Kouyou hummed, half to himself once he and his best friend had made their way to the bar. "I didn't think Takanori would like gin, I thought he'd like something fruity too. Did you put him up to it, Akira?"

The president's companion scrunched up his nose and scoffed at Kouyou's sudden accusation. "I didn't do shit. Like I said, he begged for that drink."

"Akira, we've been friends for over a decade, and I've come to learn that you are one of the worst liars to ever walk this planet," Kouyou shot back, crossing his arms as he prepared to order a drink for himself and for Yuu. "Which means that you definitely offered Takanori that drink."

Akira crossed his arms similarly, rolling his eyes as he leaned his back against the bar. "Pfft. Alright, so what if I did? We're here to have fun tonight, I didn't want that pipsqueak to feel left out."

Kouyou raised an eyebrow at his very obvious, very terrible liar of a best friend. "How considerate of you," the blond deadpanned before flagging down the bartender in order to purchase some much needed alcohol. If there was something going on between his best friend and the short blond diva, Kouyou was going to find out.

"Shut up, Shima," Akira repeated, his voice low as he scanned the establishment with his eyes, appearing to be on the lookout for something. Kouyou noticed this after the bartender gave him the drinks and he glanced at his friend inquisitively, an eyebrow raised.

"What are you looking at?"

"I bet there are some hot waitresses here," Akira simply replied with a smirk, to which Kouyou only raised his eyebrow higher in confusion—not because it was unlike Akira to flirt with girls, but because...

"I don't think Takanori's going to approve of that."

"Why would he have any say in what I do?" Akira shot back with a face full of disbelief at what Kouyou had just implied, although he avoided Kouyou's curious gaze. The senior was being oddly defensive, Kouyou noted—another flag.

"Akira, why didn't you come to school that one day last week?"

"You sure have a lot to say for someone who just got laid. Chill the fuck out," Akira retorted, and Kouyou's words caught in his throat at the other blond's remark. Just as he began to wonder how the fuck Akira had picked up on that, staying silent, he spoke again. "Come on. I of all people know the after effects of getting laid—and I know what you act like when you need to get some." Akira paused to rub at his temples in distress. "Here I was thinking you wouldn't continue being a fuckin' dumbass afterwards. I guess I'm the dumbass, now."

After Akira's little rebuttal, Kouyou had started to chuckle, and he let the change in topic slide—for now. Because Akira didn't want to fess up, it definitely meant that something odd enough had happened the night when he and Takanori had gotten drunk for Akira to stay home the next day, and Kouyou was, needless to say, very onto him now.

He would probably have to elicit Yuu to do some investigating on his end, too.

The two seniors returned to their booth soon after, Kouyou holding his and Yuu's drinks with Akira trailing behind him.

"Oh my god, Yuu, you have to tell me more. How big was it?"

"Uh, Taka—!”

"No, no, let me guess. It had to he at least seven, right?"

"Seven what?"

"Kou! Um..." Yuu stammered as he scooted over to allow room for his senior boyfriend into the booth, while Akira sat beside Takanori in the opposite seat—although this time, Kouyou noticed, the space between them was a few inches larger than it had been all times previous, and at it, the senior could see a look of what he could only guess to be disappointment on Takanori's face, and a form of discomfort on Akira's as they both sipped their drinks.

Takanori's expression of disappointment soon morphed into something malicious, though, when he took note of Kouyou interrupting their conversation and Yuu's unmistakable embarrassment at it. "Oh, just how many days Yuu's ass is gonna suff— mmph!"

"Taka, please," Akira sighed after slamming his hand over the short blond's mouth, effectively shutting him up for the time being. "I really, really do not want to hear gossip about my best friend's dick, thank you very much."

Across the table, Kouyou spluttered mid-sip and almost choked, Yuu having to start patting his back from beside him. Trust Takanori to pick up on the fact that Kouyou and Yuu had sex before arriving and want every detail possible...

"Well, Akira, maybe I could gossip about yours instead," the diva snapped after roughly grabbing Akira's wrist and shoving his hand away from his face, "if only you had enough of one to gossip about."

If Kouyou was choking before, he was near death now after hearing Takanori's absolute burn of a remark—both at the total indecency of it and hilarity of how pale Akira's face had gone, and he too started to sputter when Yuu was trying to hold back a laugh, but evidently failed. Meanwhile, poor Yutaka was in shock as his eyes went wide and he tried to focus on sipping back almost all of his drink. He needed it now more than ever.

"Holy shit, Akira," Kouyou wheezed, finally picking himself back up after engaging in a fit of both choking and laughing, Yuu patting his back tenderly again, "I think you need this."

Akira's jaw went agape when Kouyou reached inside of his own drink to fish out a piece of ice before dropping it on the table in front of him.

"For that burn. Oh, oh my god," Kouyou continued to wheeze, and by that point, Akira's face had gone red both in humiliation and anger towards the smug diva beside him, who was currently wearing what could only be the nastiest shit-eating grin known to mankind as he sipped his drink oh so fucking casually, his manicured pinky lifted.

"You don't know anything about my dick," Akira muttered angrily in a useless attempt to defend himself, crossing his arms as the lot of his friends continued to laugh and gasp at Akira's demise—but oh, Takanori was just too sharp.

"It's not like there's much of it to know about, anyways."

"Takanori I swear to fuck—"

If this was what it meant to have Takanori and Akira together, Kouyou had to make it happen as soon as possible. It was just too good.

~

It took a while for the overall rowdiness of the situation to calm down, but when it did, the boys were back to sipping their drinks in the dim lighting of the bar and making casual conversation, some about the band, a lot of it about Kouyou and Yuu, although Takanori made sure to throw in more humiliating remarks about Akira every now and then, reducing the group to laughs and wheezes. Akira would try to defend himself although every attempt proved to be futile in the end.

But before long a well-awaited waitress was coming to their table to offer them meals, to which they all agreed on ordering.

The situation was almost a repeat of the last time they'd gone out to a bar, with the waitress blatantly flirting with both Kouyou and Akira—although this time, Kouyou could officially make it clear to this waitress that he wasn't interested, just like he wasn't in the one previous, when he specifically ordered something for Yuu, using the sentence "my boyfriend will have this, please."

Which meant the brunet waitress focused all of her attention on Akira, to which Akira basked in. The girl would let her soft, manicured fingers graze upon the senior's for longer than necessary when he handed off his menu, and Akira would send some flirty comments her way whenever possible.

Kouyou gave Yuu a slight nudge when Akira engaged in smooth conversation with the waitress, noticing Takanori's complete change in demeanor. His shapely brows were furrowed as he stared almost angrily into his almost-empty drink, and Yuu noticed it, too, sending his boyfriend a silent look of understanding.

When the waitress offered Akira her number which he accepted, Takanori was huffing to himself before shoving his way past Akira and out of the booth. "I need to go to the bathroom," was all he said, although the direction he was walking was not towards the bathroom.

The waitress left momentarily after Takanori had left, clearly sensing some odd tension in the air after she and Akira had exchanged contact information. The rest of the boys sensed it, too, especially when they caught sight of Takanori's final destination which was certainly not the bathroom. He has placed his little butt down on a stool at the bar, crossing his legs and swinging his body every so slightly, yet sensually, to the music. Akira couldn't take his eyes off of him.

Kouyou cleared his throat awkwardly before glancing at Yuu, who seemed to pick up on the nature of the situation just as easily as Kouyou had. They both eyed Akira sternly, and the blond simply raised his eyebrow.

"What?"

Fuck, how were they going to deal with this? Akira was just as thick-skulled as Kouyou had been.

Apparently, they didn't have to deal with it, not when nature was taking its course and a guy was approaching Takanori at the bar, their bodies close as the little blond exercised his most attractive qualities. The boys at the booth could see how sensual his movements were as he talked to the guy who had approached him, and before long, the guy was clearly offering Takanori a drink as he took a seat beside him.

Even the bartender seemed to have a piqued interest in this little diva of a customer, eyeing him for longer than necessary and letting their fingers brush when he handed off the drink.

The boys at the booth merely watched the dire situation unfold, but Akira was most affected by it of all. His fist was clenched and his knuckles were almost white as he watched the scene in disgusted disbelief, while Kouyou and Yuu glanced at each other again.

"Akira, you need to talk to him..."

"About what? He's not my property or my issue," the senior blond almost snapped back to Kouyou, although his eyes were still fixated on the scene over at the bar. Even more men had started to show interest in the little blond and Takanori had collected a harem by that point.

"He's upset. You flirted with that waitress right in front of his face."

"So-fucking-what, Kouyou?" Akira raised his voice, and Kouyou felt Yuu startle and press his body further against him. Kouyou let his arm drape around his boyfriend's shoulders and hold him close protectively at the other senior's sudden outburst. "All we did was make out. It doesn't mean shit!"

And the cat was let out of the bag.

"You did what?” Yuu snapped at Akira momentarily after hearing the reveal of what had actually happened between him and their vocalist. The raven’s breathing was erratic as his mind raced and he panicked, going over every word Takanori had ever confessed regarding their senior. Yuu had thought about it before, wondering what could have happened to make his friends act so weird around each other, but he never grasped the idea that something as serious as this could have occurred. Takanori really meant it when he said things were escalating fast, and Yuu wouldn’t take the details if he knew them.

“What? People make out.” Akira had raised his voice again. and the raven felt how his boyfriend squeezed his shoulder tightly and protectively again. Yuu was growing angrier by the second, though, his feelings racing and wrecking him from the inside. “Making out doesn’t mean shit. Ask Kouyou how many times he’s done it.”

And then Yuu almost winced in pain as the blond’s fingers dug into his shoulder, Kouyou’s angry voice echoing in his ears.

“You fucking didn’t, Akira...”

Yuu took a quick glance at Takanori by the bar noticing, how the boy was basking in the company and attention those guys were granting him, and the raven immediately recognized that boy he once knew, one that was always so emotional and so honest, but so afraid of the world around him. Therefore, that same short boy had built walls of vanity and sassiness as a barricade, which never managed to protect him from himself. Hence the reason why Takanori was now falling deep into this trap, getting himself in trouble, not realizing the consequences of his actions.

Takanori was underage, for fuck’s sake, and he was deeply hurt, making the wrong decisions one by one in this attraction game he had started with people he didn't know anything about.

He couldn’t imagine what those people had in mind, but their hungry eyes stressed Yuu to the core as they kept watching his petite friend who seemed to know what he was doing, but it was clear to the raven it was exactly the opposite instead.

“Kouyou, move,” Yuu snapped all of a sudden, turning to Kouyou this time, startling the blond with his outburst. “Kouyou, get up. I have to talk to him.”

“Nah,” Akira growled as he sipped from his drink, watching Takanori just as sternly as moments ago. “We should leave the diva to do his thing. He seems pretty okay, whoring around.”

“Just shut the fuck up, Akira,” Yuu barked, his anger making his body tremble as he tried to stand up and push Kouyou from the booth.

“Yuu...” the blond didn’t protest, couldn’t, and let Yuu have his way, still startled by his behavior and probably shocked by the sudden change in his demeanor, but the raven was mad. No matter their past, Takanori always had been his best friend and still continued to be, and nothing was able to erase the years of honest and loyal friendship they shared as they grew up and took care of each other like brothers. No one was allowed to hurt his best friend’s feelings, especially not like this.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Akira growled the words as they left his mouth, and as soon as Yuu was on his feet, the boy got closer to his senior and stared right into his eyes as he began his speech.

“What the hell is wrong with you, mister compassionless heterosexual, trying to hook up with waitresses right in front of his face, you fucking player. You like to talk about your dick, but you act as if you don’t even have one. What gives you the right to decide for others if they have feelings or not, huh?” Yuu took a breath, reeling in the sight of fear he was inflicting in Akira. “I am so fucking tired of pseudo heterosexual males like you. If you don’t man up and fix this shit, I’ll take it as you don’t have balls, either. So much for your ‘man pride’ that you flaunt all the time, but when you have to actually act, you sit back and do nothing like cowards do.” Yuu stopped his train of words and gasped for air, Akira’s eyes wide as he stared back at the raven. The older boy looked like a mess, now, obviously shocked by the way Yuu had managed to destroy his pride in a matter of seconds. The raven was furious, though, and he wasn’t done yet. Takanori was still there at the bar, surrounded by strangers who were just waiting for an opportunity to take advantage of him.

“I swear to god, if you don’t pull my friend out of this, the band is fucking over. So, Akira, are you a man or what?”

Akira did nothing but sit frozen in his spot, not daring to say anything back to the angry boy in front of him. Yutaka and Kouyou had remained silent as well, and it seemed like nothing was able to pacify Yuu at this point.

And then… all of a sudden, much to everyone’s surprise, Akira was averting his gaze to look up at the bar again, rising up from the table and making his way towards the petite blond who seemed to have a pretty funny conversation going on with the guys around him.

Yuu was in shock as he watched the stubborn senior approach his friend and whisper something into his ear.

The short boy laughed at first, and it was obvious that he was trying to make Akira leave, probably hurting the senior’s pride with his teasing tongue and demeanor was well, but the boy was stubborn.

Yuu watched them in silence, taking extra care to not miss out on any of Takanori’s reactions until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Yuu, let’s sit down. Please calm down.” Kouyou was really worried, now, and the boy realized he had probably scared him, as well. The hurt expression of his boyfriend was enough to pacify his anger and Yuu nodded, returning to their seat next to Yutaka, who was still watching them in shock.

Yuu felt strange kind of guilt, but his eyes remained locked on their friends at the bar.

“I’m sorry, Yutaka,” Yuu murmured, and Kouyou wrapped his arm around Yuu’s waist in a soothing manner.

“Don’t worry. I was expecting something like this to happen eventually, just… didn’t expect it to happen so soon.”

“Did you know?” Kouyou asked in disbelief, and the boy chuckled.

“Takanori tells me everything. You’d be surprised.”

Yuu shifted uncomfortably in his position as he finally saw the two boys moving away from the bar, stopping at one of the empty corners of the dim place. They were talking and they seemed calm, but Yuu didn’t miss the hurt and aggravation in Takanori’s eyes.

“Yuu… don’t worry about them, they’ll be fine,” Kouyou said in the raven’s ear as a means to comfort him, but Yuu didn’t budge.

“You don’t understand,” Yuu replied not even glancing at his boyfriend as he did so, and he felt that same firm grip of Kouyou’s hand from earlier only on his waist this time. That made the raven boy uneasy as he finally locked gazes with his boyfriend who looked… annoyed.

“Why are you so worried about him?” Kouyou’s voice was low and it made Yuu flinch, realizing he was missing something.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve never seen you like this."

Yuu gulped hard at that. Was he… acting weird? It was true he had never showed his anger before, at least not like this, but Kouyou knew how emotional the raven was… or was it because… “Wait… are you... jealous?”

“Wow… hold on,” Yutaka interrupted them, the boy clearning his throat before sipping from his cola and continuing. “Please don’t do this, you two are my favourite and I cheer for you so much, don’t spoil it with bullshit—”

“Yutaka, please don’t interfere. It’s deeper than you think.”

And for some reason, that simple remark managed to wound Yuu heavily in his heart.

The two blonds were back at their booth, though, and that made Yuu, Kouyou and Yutaka focus their attention to them.

Both Akira and Takanori looked serious and the raven sensed something was going on. They also looked like they had yet to settle things between them.

When they finally announced that they were leaving, none of the other boys were surprised. Yuu actually felt relieved that Akira looked so calm and gentle as he helped Takanori put on his jacket. Maybe the senior needed a little push in the right direction… maybe tonight’s drama was necessary, and their friends were going to make up finally. Yuu really hoped for that. The only problem was he wasn’t sure how well Akira would cope with his feelings. He mentally wished some good luck to his friends as they finally existed the bar, leaving him, Kouyou, and Yutaka behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally some reituki... in the form of drama ohohoho


	30. Chapter 30

Straight boys were always trouble. They were always imbeciles, they were idiots, they were plain stupid and they never failed to toss the feelings of others aside all for the sake of stroking their own ego. It was clear to Takanori that Akira was no different than any other teenage heterosexual guy he's ever met, but god, that senior blond was just so intriguing. He had personality, unlike the rest, and even if Takanori was constantly teasing him about his alleged ugliness, he was actually pretty damn easy on the eyes—and that meant a lot coming from someone like Takanori, someone who was absolutely obsessed over image in every possible shape and form. Because of it all, the little blond had undoubtedly fallen for this enigma of a straight guy, and he hated himself every day for it. Because look at him now; look at how Akira had treated him in the bar, and look at what stupid measures Takanori had resorted to in order to cope with the betrayal. Every aspect of the entire situation was asking for nothing but trouble and regardless of how much Takanori was interested in Akira, the senior was, in the end, a typical guy who was merely seeking sex without commitment (with females, no less) and was probably confused. Takanori should've known this when he kissed Akira that one fateful night, fuck, he shouldn't have let himself go—he should have known that there had been no emotion on Akira's end, he was just in on it for the release. Unlike Takanori, who had tried to make a point with that kiss, because goddammit he had fallen hard for that idiot of a good-looking blond senior, and even though he was probably insane to think that Akira could have possibly returned the feelings, he just wanted Akira to know.

And god, he just wanted one taste of those delicious lips, but how that he'd gotten it, that single sample had become something he was addicted to. It meant nothing to Akira, but for Takanori, it had meant everything—even if the initial intentions were pure.

Takanori's mind was racing. Even the simple act of Akira aiding him in the donning of his jacket had been enough to send him into some weird mental frenzy, as well as when he had offered him a real drink, or when Akira had come up to him at the bar amongst all of the other men the little diva had so effortlessly attracted. Of course he'd flipped Akira off and shit-talked him to his face when he approached him, as that was his go-to mask when his emotions started to become too much for him to handle. But something inside Takanori was relieved that Akira had at least somewhat enough of a heart to console him, even if Yuu, Kouyou and Yutaka had probably been a big part of it—because most guys would have simply gotten enraged and walked out.

But not Akira.

And god-fucking-dammit, every small instance like that had Takanori becoming more and more interested in that senior blond imbecile by the moment.

Takanori stepped foot in the sleek sports car that had become familiar to him over these past few weeks, except this time the atmosphere wasn't the fun, playful one that would usually transpire during the blonds' car rides. For once, the short one was completely silent, gazing out of the window as not even a single teasing remark came to his witty mind. He didn't even look at Akira when the senior got into the driver's seat, and when Akira didn't bother bringing it up, Takanori sighed.

He wondered if all of this was fruitless; the fun night out he'd planned to have with his bandmates that had only gone to shit because of his uncontrollable, unjustifiable jealous tendencies, and now going to Akira's house to try and patch up the mistakes he'd made. What outcome was he even hoping for? To simply make up with Akira and remain friends, or did he seriously think he could score something more with the senior blond?

Takanori just didn't know.

Beside him, Akira started up the vehicle, and as the car rolled out onto the road, Takanori felt like the silence was going to come alive and chew him up whole in a slow, painful death. But he knew there was nothing he could possibly say to fill the sinister atmosphere—not yet, anyways. Not until they reached Akira's house and sat down to converse everything properly.

Even if Takanori was still at an absolute loss at what exactly he wanted to converse about. He had so much to say, so many questions he wanted to ask, but when the time came he doubted he'd be able to collect the right thoughts and convey them as he wanted to.

Because he didn't know what Akira wanted out of this, either. Takanori was in the dark, and he was afraid of what might be lurking in it.

After a car ride that felt like eternity, the sleek car had finally pulled up into the empty driveway of an upper-class house, which Takanori wasn't all too surprised about, considering the worth of that vehicle Akira owned—but it was exciting. His parents had enough money to live comfortably and support him in his occasionally expensive hobbies, but he'd never set foot in a house like Akira's before. Hell, he'd barely even seen one in person.

The short blond unbuckled himself and stepped out of the car almost as soon as the engine had been shut off, impatient and anxious. He let Akira lead the way to the door, still avoiding eye contact as he followed the senior inside once the entrance had been unlocked.

The house was empty, presumably because Akira had originally planned on bringing all of their bandmates over after their time at the bar and so he'd requested his parents to leave. Or maybe they were already gone, Takanori didn't know.

Come to think of it, Takanori really didn't know very much about the senior. What did his parents do for a living? What were his hobbies? What was his best school subject?

The little blond had no idea of the answers to any of his questions. Which only made him wonder further, how had he managed to fall for this guy so easily? The last time Takanori had had a real liking towards someone was...

Yuu. 

His chest tightened at the thought, but now wasn't the time to reminisce.

Takanori kicked off his shoes, careful not to damage them in any way, as he placed his hands on his hips and glared at Akira, finally making eye contact with him for the first time since they'd left the bar.

Akira returned the glare at first, although he flinched and looked away. Fuck, it was awkward.

"Akira."

"Hm?"

"I'm not going to waste time beating around the bush. Let's get this shit over with," Takanori huffed, and ready he felt a sense of relief at the broken silence. But it still wasn't enough, because everything still felt so... tense.

He let Akira respond with a sigh before leading him into the living room where the two blonds took up residence on either end of the luxurious couch. Takanori glanced around the room, the big television set and large speakers, and then at the expensive-looking decorations that must have come from all over the world.

Akira cleared his throat when Takanori didn't say anything, and even when he did, Takanori still didn't speak. He wanted to hear what Akira had to say about the situation first—or at least start the conversation.

"So... Takanori," Akira finally spoke up, to Takanori's relief—although he flinched slightly at the use of his full name instead of his shorter nickname. "I'm... sorry about what happened at the bar. I didn't think flirting with the waitress would offend you so much—"

"Offend me?!" Takanori snapped in utter disbelief, cutting the other boy off and already realizing that allowing Akira to lead the conversation had been a big mistake. The scoff he let out was so loud he could see the blond senior flinch in his peripheral. "You're sorry that you  _ offended  _ me? Is that seriously what you think this bullshit is about?!" Takanori had promised himself prior that he would keep himself grounded during their conversation, that he would keep himself civil. But Jesus Christ, Akira had a skull so thick not even a jack hammer could make its way through, and maybe what he needed was some dynamite to blow it to bits—and Takanori would be that dynamite.

"Um, Taka, I—"

"No, Akira. Listen here, because I'm fucking tired," the little blond snarled, practically burning holes into taller one with his intense gaze, and he was nearly fuming. "I'm fucking  _ tired  _ of you straight guys who think feelings are a thing that just don't exist. That you can fuck all you want without strings attached, that you can make out with someone and believe that it's nothing more than a fun thing to pass time with. That you can flirt with whoever you want, maybe fuck them, and move on with your life. But let me tell you, Akira, that that is  _ not  _ how it works for some people, and you need to be mindful of that."

Despite Takanori's short stature, his voice practically bellowed as Akira shrunk low into the couch, knowing that he had absolutely fucked up on many levels and deserved both Yuu's scolding from earlier and Takanori's in the current moment.

When Akira didn't respond, Takanori continued. "Akira, when I kissed you, did you really think it was nothing more than a fun activity? Did you seriously think that was the reason why I did it? That it meant nothing, and that it was a free pass to fuck off right after and flirt with whoever the hell you want, right in front of my goddamn face?" Takanori's eyes were watering now as he snarled at Akira, his fists clenched tightly as he lowered his gaze to the floor. "Did you do it just to humour me, another guy, because maybe you thought it was a joke? That maybe it was funny, and that you straight fucks can toy around with the 'fags' just for a good laugh, only to turn around and go back to routinely flirting with chicks right after?"

Takanori's voice cracked as he lowered it to speak the next sentence. "Akira, did you not fucking realize that I kissed you because I genuinely felt something for you?"

The senior furrowed his eyebrows as his gaze narrowed. "What the fuck, Taka? Yes, I thought it was as much of a joke for you as it was for me.”

Akira’s words seemed to startle the shorter boy, as he didn’t say another word but merely blinked in dumbfounded confusion. He looked like hot, agitated mess, and obviously Akira’s blunt reply wasn’t the thing he expected to hear, not after all of his efforts to crush the senior with words.

The hurt in the younger’s eyes was evident, though, and  _ so  _ vivid that Akira licked his lips and sighed before resorting to a lot calmer behavior as he tried to explain his swirling thoughts.

“Kouyou and Yuu are the only gay people I know. You’re the absolute opposite compared to them. How should I know you’re serious after you act like everything is a joke all the time?”

The younger scoffed but didn’t reply, and Akira’s guilt finally took a toll on his feelings.

“I’m sorry I was a dick, but I’m not the only one at fault, Taka.”

Takanori glared at him this time, and they fell into an awkward silence for the next minute, which served as a cooldown for their storming emotions. The younger boy broke their silence first, which confused the senior a little, but he was also relieved by it.

“Did you like it?” Takanori’s voice was a lot calmer now, but still sent Akira into panic mode.

The senior couldn’t lie this time. He had to be honest, since the risk of them ending up in another damaging fight was dangerously high.

“What?”

“You know what I’m talking about.” The diva was losing his patience again, and the senior cleared his throat before speaking again .

“I… don’t know…” he confessed and looked away, feeling a strange tingle of embarrassment from the fact. ”That’s the problem, right? Because my body still reacted to the kiss, and you felt it. I’ve never made out with a guy before, and I’m confused, okay? I just don’t know.”

The shorter blond averted his eyes in annoyance. “Should we make out again and see if your dick is going to react?”

“Don’t tease me now, jesus, Taka. I’m trying to be honest, I’m fucking confused and you can’t blame me for it.”

“I guess.” The boy’s voice got lower as he agreed with his senior before another awkward silence fell upon them.

Akira couldn’t deny how attractive this side of Takanori’s was, but he also couldn’t understand his feelings. He definitely did like what they had experienced together, and he also enjoyed the diva’s company—but Akira was the caring and dominant type. Takanori seemed to crush that part of him to pieces, always so confident and teasing around him. Akira knew how to treat girls—shy and bashful ones—while this boy was something entirely different, with his big mouth and daring gestures. Takanori was gorgeous, graceful, too, and the senior knew the desire to dominate the cheeky little blond had grown quite a lot inside of him. But he couldn’t accept that yet; he truly was thick-headed, and maybe even more so than his best friend.

“Let’s  start over,” Akira offered all of a sudden, noticing how the diva flinched, turning to look at him a second later. “Let’s be friends.”

“That’s not happening unless you stop being a dick.”

_ “I’m _ being a dick?” Akira couldn’t believe the blond’s words, but Takanori merely raised an eyebrow at him.

“You’ve been acting like one constantly. Let’s not forget I was chill tonight until you said I begged for my drink.”

“Alright, point taken.” Akira slouched his shoulders and growled in frustration, realizing Takanori did have a point. The senior was panicking all the time, stressing over every little thing the younger was doing. He felt like he was supposed to defend himself constantly, even though he wasn’t actually being attacked. The guilt was eating him up, but he knew something was changing inside of him; he truly cared for Takanori at this point. He didn’t want to hurt him, not like this.

“I’ll be more considerate of your feelings. I promise, but Taka, I need to understand what’s going on, and I don’t want us to fight.”

“I’ll try to help, but I’m not letting you touch me.” When the boy glared at his senior again, Akira felt defeated. “I want you to tell me what you feel when you finally have it figured out.”

“Okay.” The senior nodded, and the younger’s features slowly softened as he looked away again.

“You should drive me home.”

“Yeah.”

~

Yuu was worried. The night out he was supposed to enjoy with his bandmates had gone wrong from the very start, and it kept going downhill even after the culprits had left to solve their problems elsewhere. Takanori was known to get in trouble with ease, and Yuu couldn’t stop worrying about him, despite the sudden change of mood that Kouyou was demonstrating now. The boys didn’t stay in the bar for much longer and, as soon as they were done with their orders, they left. Kouyou suggested to drop Yutaka off at home, the boy happily agreeing, but Yuu was sure their senior was desperately trying to shorten the time he was supposed to spend alone with his boyfriend afterwards.

As soon as Yutaka was out of the car and the boys were off to Yuu’s house, the raven stared at the blond as he observed every movement and noise he was making. Kouyou had refused to talk about what was bothering him at the bar, obviously not comfortable to delve into it in front of their friend, but the fact that he kept his silence—even now—worried Yuu to the core. He hadn’t answered Yuu’s question either, nor spared a glance at him for longer than 2 seconds since then.

“Kouyou, is everything alright?”

“Yeah, I’m just tired.” Kouyou tried to fake a smile, but Yuu wasn’t falling for it. In fact, it was worrying him even more than before. He couldn't recall a time when Kouyou wasn’t straightforward, as he always spilled his thoughts as soon as the raven had asked him the right questions.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Yes—something was definitely going terribly wrong tonight.

They arrived at Yuu’s house a couple of minutes later, and as the blond pulled the car into the parking lot, the raven stressed over whether he should interrogate him now or leave it for another time. Something told him that if he left the car now, the problem would grow into something a lot more bizarre and it was definitely going to break a string or two between them. So, no, Yuu needed answers now; before it was too late.

The engine was soon turned off and Yuu froze in the passenger seat, his hands glued to his thighs as he kept staring at the blond next to him.

“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, I just...” Kouyou sighed, his fingers tapping on the wheel nervously as his gaze locked on them instead of the raven. “I don’t know… I’ve just… never seen you like that.”

“What?”

“You went berserk after you heard about what happened between Akira and Taka.”

“So what? He’s my friend.” Yuu’s voice was lowering as the boy had grown quite irritated with the topic, and the way his boyfriend was avoiding to tell him exactly what was going through his mind. “I’m allowed to feel protective.”

“Protective of someone who broke you?” Kouyou snarled this time, finally looking at Yuu—but with anger splattered on his face. “To be honest… it crossed my mind before, but I never really thought about it.”

“About what?”

“You and him,” Kouyou spat through gritted teeth, and Yuu felt… afraid.

“There’s nothing between me and him.”

The blond scoffed.

“Alright, but considering how much he’s hurt you, don’t you think you forgave him just a bit too quick?” Yuu was speechless this time, but Kouyou wasn’t waiting for an answer; it was clear he was making his point. “In fact, I still don’t know what happened between you two. I know absolutely nothing about you from before you moved to this town.”

The raven’s breath halted as he simply stared at his boyfriend, not believing what he was hearing right now. The blond looked hurt and confused, but it couldn’t compare to the torment Yuu’s heart was going through now.

“I did tell you what happened.”

“I know the consequences; not what led to them.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Yuu breathed, his voice turning into whisper.

“Why the hell not?”

And that immediately sent Yuu into defense-mode, his voice raising with his next words.

“How would you feel if I started talking about someone else I had feelings for? Are you crazy?”

Kouyou didn’t respond, instead looking away as his face distorted into the same anger and pain which used to melt and send Yuu into a submissive mess, taming his own anger and aggravation.

And it worked again, forcing Yuu to submit and lower his voice as he tried to speak. “Why is it so important?”

“Because I feel like…” Kouyou sighed, rubbing his temples before continuing. “I feel like I’m missing out on something. Like he knows you better… like… I’m unworthy. I don’t know, Yuu, but you need to tell me.” He was avoiding Yuu’s gaze again, and the raven tried to get a hold of his feelings as he finally gave up and let all of his guard down. He couldn’t watch his boyfriend act like this, and he definitely didn’t expect such an outcome of tonight’s events, but the blond seemed shaken by everything. Yuu couldn’t blame him, and a part of him kept telling him he owed it to the senior, too.

“We’ve been best friends since elementary school,” Yuu began, his voice breaking, but Kouyou refused to glance at him. “I first realised I loved him when I was 14, and I loved him in secret after that… until last year. We were at a party that he practically dragged me to, because he didn’t want to go alone. I got drunk, he messed with me, and kissed me. I confessed to him then.” Yuu noticed the way Kouyou flinched and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, but the raven kept talking as he knew that if he stopped now, he would never be able to tell the rest. “The next day, I was happy. I thought he reciprocated my feelings, and that we would be together. I practically lived in a fairytale until I got to school.” Yuu’s voice was breaking again, his eyes watering, but he managed to keep the liquid from spilling as he kept talking. “There, I found out he told everyone I forced myself on him. The students bullied me in all kinds of ways. I left school earlier that day, because they turned violent quite fast.”

Kouyou quickly glanced back at the raven, his face looking terrified from the words that just left Yuu’s mouth.

“What the hell…” the blond barely spoke, Yuu’s lips trembling from all of the repressed emotions he had right now. “And… you still protect him and care about him? After all that?”

“Kou… please don’t do this.”

“You’ve loved him for years!” Kouyou’s eyes had sparks in them, unlike anything Yuu had ever seen before. What hurt him the most, though, was the fact that his boyfriend doubted him—even after all that they’ve been through.

“I would never sleep with you if I wasn’t devoted to you, Kou. I would never say I love you if it wasn’t true.”

“And how long did it take you to say it to me?”

And then, the blond’s words had managed to break something inside of the raven completely.

"Maybe I've been wrong this entire time."

His knuckles turned white as he clutched the steering wheel.

"Maybe I was blinded by my own feelings. Maybe it was right in front of me this whole time, and I couldn't see it. Maybe I didn't want to see it."

His chest felt so tight he could barely get the words out of his mouth.

"Maybe I fell harder than you did, and what you feel for me isn't the same as what I feel for you."

The boy beside him opened his mouth to retaliate meekly, but was cut off.

"Yuu, I think it's only right for us to... take a break right now."

No physical pain, be it a laceration or broken bone, nor the emotional, eternal loneliness that his parents had always pretended Kouyou with could be compared to the pain he was feeling in the present. They were barely fractions of the millions of tiny pieces that the blond's heart had shattered into at the heavy words that left his own mouth.

"Kouyou—"

"I love you so, so much, Yuu. If I can't be sure that you feel the same, it isn't fair for either of us to be in each other's company right now." To say Kouyou felt the mere pain of a shattered heart was an understatement. His entire being was constantly strangled by the endless amounts of love he felt for the raven-haired boy, capturing him in and keeping him confined in ways he never wanted to break free of. The tight bonds that connected Kouyou and Yuu always felt so utterly immaculate that destroying them would leave the blond with untreatable wounds that could only be healed and kept safe by those ties—and now, to have those bonds broken, Kouyou was lost, he was in agony.

But he wondered if maybe the bonds hadn't been as tight on Yuu as they were on Kouyou. Maybe the raven felt chained down instead of sharing the comfort that Kouyou felt; maybe the tie of love had felt more like a shackle.

Maybe he had another tie that was bonding him to someone else. A tie of undying love that actually felt like it should.

"Kouyou, w-wait—"

"Please get out of my car, Yuu," Kouyou growled, unable to look at the beautiful face of the raven boy he loved so dearly—especially not when that beautiful face was surely stained by tears and sadness. Kouyou could already hear it in Yuu's voice, and the senior didn't want anything more than to reach out and pacify the younger boy with whispers of sweet nothings, kisses and hugs and cuddles and affections.

But Kouyou knew better than to try such things.

"B-but Kouyou—"

"Now!"

Through uncontrollable tears and sobs, Yuu was unbuckling his seat belt and shoving his way out of the passenger side, slamming the door behind him after Kouyou had impatiently raised his voice in anger towards both himself and the situation, not at Yuu, but Yuu looked so afraid as he sniffled and spilled tears that soaked the ground and his shirt as he walked.

Knowing that he was the product of his ruined beau, no,  _ that  _ ruined beau, was enough to drive Kouyou to running his hands through his golden strands, pulling at them so tightly he was choking out a pained cry, letting his forehead rest on the steering wheel before he could see Yuu enter his house and possibly glance back at him. Seeing that broken, tear-stained face of his own creation head-on would be more than Kouyou knew he could handle.

The senior drove carelessly home soon after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh no, don't kill us please


	31. Chapter 31

Upon arriving home, Kouyou was unpleasantly surprised to see his father at the kitchen table, doing paperwork and important business things. He paused his work to look at Kouyou curiously, who had slammed the door upon entrance and was roughly removing his shoes and jacket.

"Kouyou? I thought you were spending the night at Akira's."

"Yeah, well, plans change," Kouyou nearly snapped, although he knew better than to let his anger get the better of him around the older man. He didn't need life to bestow upon him even more issues—he'd surely crack if it did.

"Shame. Who knows when you'll score a test mark that high again, hmm?" It was almost as though his father was taunting him, and it sent a pang to his heart—because the reason Kouyou had scored so high was because of Yuu, and without him, he would fail, or at least be borderline. The thought scared him as the blond had no idea what this break between them could mean; were their tutoring sessions going to end? If they did, the senior would be helpless.

"If I got a mark that high once, I can do it again," Kouyou shot back once he'd made it to the bottom of the stairs, and his father's reply just barely managed to reach his ears as he made his way up to the top floor.

"Keep telling yourself that, Kouyou."

~

Kouyou flopped down onto his bed after he'd shut the door (see: slammed, yet again), relieved to find his trusty shiba already taking up residence on it. Shiro greeted him with plenty of nuzzles and licks, and for the first time since the night out with his friends, Kouyou was truly happy, even just for a second.

How the fuck had everything gone from being so perfect to absolute shit in the matter of an evening? Just hours ago, Kouyou was making sweet love to the boy he adored beyond words—and now it felt like it had been futile, like it didn't mean anything, even though it was truly everything to Kouyou, being able to finally spend that intimate moment with Yuu. At the time, everything had been so perfect that life couldn't throw a single thing at Kouyou that would bring him down.

But look at him now. The universe had seriously managed to fuck him over and ruin it all.

Shiro noticed the tense, saddened, angered demeanor of his master and nuzzled him harder, which Kouyou accepted. He wrapped his arms around the warm shiba, holding him close and nuzzling his face into the fur.

Unfortunately, the fur smelled like dog and not the floral scent the senior had become so accustomed to.

"Did I fuck up, Shiro? Is this my fault?" Kouyou whispered routinely, always talking to his dog about his problems in the end, even if he couldn't understand. Maybe that was a good thing; it allowed Kouyou to get whatever he wanted off his chest without judgement. "Did I overreact—"

The buzzing of his phone in his pocket cut off his sentence, and for a moment, just a brief moment, he hoped it would be Yuu, texting him back or calling him to let Kouyou know that everything was okay, he wasn't crying anymore, and he only loved Kouyou forever and ever...

But it wasn't. When he fished his phone out and brought it up to his eyes, the name on the screen was of his best friend's.

Akira: Hey I talked to Taka

Akira: Things aren't perfect but he doesn't seem mad at me anymore. We're friends

Kouyou sighed audibly at the news, both with relief and envy at the fact that Akira was having way better luck with Takanori than Kouyou was having with Yuu—although Akira and Takanori's issues had been pretty severe, almost dangerous even, and so all in all, Kouyou was relieved that at least something good came out of the failed get-together.

The senior barely had the energy to respond, but he did, figuring Akira would be a good distraction—because it was only reaching 10 PM now, the time the boys were originally planning to head out of the bar and settle down at Akira's for the night. It was much too early for Kouyou to sleep, and he knew he'd be doing nothing but laying around and wallowing in his thoughts and regrets.

Kouyou: That's great Aki. Are you still with him?

Akira: No I dropped him off at his house after we talked

Akira: U with Yuu? Am I interrupting something X-rated?

His best friend's attempt to be funny merely sent Kouyou in a further downward spiral of depressive emotions, and he soon realized that Akira didn't even know what was going on between the president and Yuu; as much as Kouyou didn't want to talk about it, he  _ did  _ want to talk about it, and as much of a great listener Shiro was, the senior wanted to talk to someone who at least understood him, even if Akira would probably offer as much advice as Shiro did. And even if the two seniors were usually too prideful to break down and have real, deep, heart-to-heart conversations, Kouyou hoped that just this once, that pride would be disregarded.

Kouyou: No. I dropped him off at home.

The blond hesitated before he typed the next text. He figured it was unfair to burden Akira with his own problems when the other senior had so much on his own plate, but they were always there for each other, right? Always have been, always will be.

Kouyou: Can we call? I really need to talk to someone.

Akira: Of course dude

Akira: Is everything ok?

Kouyou didn't bother sending another text in response because he was calling Akira the next moment. Kouyou moved away from Shiro reluctantly in order to lay his head on his pillows, but thankfully the shiba was also relocating in order to cuddle back up to his master as the phone rang for only a few seconds.

"Hello?" Came the answer, and instantly Kouyou could pick up Akira's tone to be anxious.

"Hey."

"Kouyou? Is everything alright?"

The senior hummed before replying, making sure to keep his voice low so that his father wouldn't eavesdrop—but thankfully the man seemed to be too engrossed in business things downstairs, and Kouyou knew it would be a while before the man finished up and came to bed. "Honestly, Aki... no. Everything has gone to shit."

"Dude," Akira gasped at the sudden news, "what's up? Did something happen with Yuu?"

The mention of his name aloud was enough to send Kouyou wincing. "Yes. We fought."

"Fought?! Kouyou, what did you do?"

"I fucked up, Akira," Kouyou snapped, slightly hurt at Akira's reaction thinking that Kouyou had been the one to initiate the argument. He had been, but to hear it be assumed of him from the start was... frightening. "I... listen. I feel terrible and I just need you to hear me out, alright?"

"Alright," came Akira's skeptical reply.

And so Kouyou spilled it all. Spilled Yuu and Takanori's past, revealed what they had once been, disclosed why Yuu had yelled at Akira so uncharacteristically in the bar after the senior had fucked up so bad with Takanori.

"So I thought Yuu still felt something for Takanori because of that. I thought... I didn't think he loved me in the same way I loved him, Aki."

The other line was silent as Akira took in all of the information, and Kouyou's heart rate sped up so much he could feel it against his ribcage.

"Oh, Kouyou..."

"And I got upset with him," Kouyou carried on, the words spilling out before he could put a stop to them, "I told him that we should take a break. I figured what I'd done to upset him was too much and that it couldn't be fixed unless we took some time apart from one another, because it wouldn't be fair for either of us to be around each other right now. Not after how much I overreacted."

Kouyou heard Akira let out a long sigh once he'd processed the overload of information that the president had just presented him with. "Kouyou, listen. Yuu loves you so much. He really, really does, and I know you love him too."

Kouyou stayed silent as he listened to Akira speak.

"The love he held for Takanori? It has to be in the past by now. He has you, now, Kou, he doesn't need Takanori. And frankly, even if he did, I don't think Taka would be interested. He likes me. And okay, I think I might just like him back, but that's for another time..."

At Akira's sudden confession, Kouyou was letting out a gasp on his end of the line, followed by a sigh of relief—because Akira was... probably right.

"Yuu and Takanori were best friends, and the love between best friends can be as deep as romantic love, if not deeper. So the reason Yuu got so protective was probably because of that strong friendship he has with Takanori, not because of the romantic feelings he once held," Akira said so matter-of-factly that Kouyou had almost no choice but to believe him. "Yuu didn't want to see his best friend hurt at the hands of a pseudo heterosexual like myself."

Akira's direct quote of Yuu's managed to elicit a pained chuckle from Kouyou. Yet, despite how true Akira’s words sounded, they still couldn’t change how the president felt regarding the situation. The jealousy he had tried to suppress many times before was now out on display for all to see, burning him inside-out, and not even Yuu’s hurt form was able to pacify it. It was something the senior had never experienced until now, frightening him in new, undiscovered ways. Maybe it was the love he held for the raven, because Kouyou was sure he had never felt a love so deep for another person before. Yuu was so special, the president couldn’t help but be protective  _ and  _ defensive, considering how much it hurt to see the raven around his past love. Kouyou had never felt so overwhelmed in his life.

"I think you did overreact, but what's done is done. Once your break with Yuu is over, you guys really need to talk this out," Akira scolded, and Kouyou knew that Akira was absolutely right. "You two not being together feels so... wrong. You guys are like the power couple of our group."

"Alright, alright," Kouyou waved off, although he was quite bashful to think that their friend group adored the couple as much as they apparently did. "Thanks, Akira. This means a lot."

"No problem, dude. Listen, you guys  _ have  _ to get back together, because god knows your dad won't let you out again unless you get another high test mark, and I'm sorry, but without Yuu you're helpless."

"Fine! I'll... I'll talk to him soon." Jesus, was everyone out to attack him for his math inabilities?

"Good."

"Okay," Kouyou cut in before Akira could bad-mouth his intelligence right to his face some more, "now I want to hear what happened between you and Takanori."

~

Yuu’s eyes slowly opened at the feel of a bright light penetrating the shields of his eyelids. His entire body ached, growling as he rolled over to lay on his back, eyeing the ceiling of the living room with restless eyes.

_ Right… _

He had moved to sleep on the sofa the previous night, after he found that sleeping in his own bed was an impossible task. He tossed and turned, feeling an agonizing suffocation in his throat, which had prompted him to stay wide awake until he was exhausted enough to seek solace in the lonely living room instead. 

The boy was ready to pull up the covers and drown in another wasteful slumber when a realization hit him and his insides stirred. It was Monday and Yuu had to gather his strength and get to school, but he simply couldn’t find it in him to move. Not after everything that had happened between him and Kouyou, and the way his heart was broken beyond repair now.

The weekend turned out to be even worse than the Friday evening the boys spent together; Kouyou had given Yuu the silent treatment, despite the raven’s attempts to call him on Saturday or the pathetic texts he had sent him the next day, as well. Considering the raven boy never had a relationship before, the concept of a break like this wasn’t familiar to him and the fact it was so unknown, frightened his already-tormented soul. 

He wondered what it meant and what was expected of him to do now. He didn’t want to lose Kouyou, but he also didn’t want the situation between them to get worse.

A sudden noise coming from the hallway startled the boy and he shifted in his position, rising up from the sofa a second later. His mother greeted him with a soft smile before entering the kitchen and Yuu tried to return that smile, but with no success. The woman had been really patient with him the past two days; she didn’t pester him with questions, and didn’t bother him after he simply confined to her that he and his boyfriend were on a break. He was thankful for it, because despite the spinning questions in his head, the boy also didn’t want to delve into the matters with his mother. Something told him this was something he had to deal with on his own. He couldn’t rely on his parent all the time, despite that she was the only person who was able to give him accurate advice every time.

Yuu couldn’t run away from his broken heart, though, and he slowly prepared for school, yet leaving the house on time.

But once he was on the school grounds, he avoided his friends like the plague and successfully started his first class without having to talk about his problems with anyone… yet.

That wasn’t the case once lunch break approached them, when the bell rang and Yuu was out of the classroom, followed by a very concerned Yutaka. He found the boy he wanted to see the least right now waiting for them at the windows outside.

“Hi, Taka,” Yutaka greeted him immediately, but Yuu didn’t make a sound, opting to offer a half-assed smile instead.

He didn’t keep his gaze on the short blond for too long and, even though he couldn’t understand the reasons behind his behavior right now, he refused to think about them. He just wanted to sit down and get lunch over with as fast as possible.

The boys gathered their food and sat at their table a moment later, and, unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Akira and Kouyou to join them. Yuu watched his senior sternly as the blond finally took the seat at the opposite side of the table, and the raven noticed how the senior avoided looking at him, despite his smile and the soft voice with which he greeted them.

It hurt more than Yuu had anticipated, though, and he didn’t open his mouth again even once the boys quickly started on the topic for the next band practice, which was supposed to occur later that same week.

The raven kept his gaze on Kouyou instead, quickly losing track of the conversation as his thoughts drifted elsewhere, wondering and hoping for any sign of affection from the senior. But such never surfaced, and the student felt even more defeated than before.

“Yuu, what do you think?” Takanori’s voice suddenly pulled Yuu out of his daze and the boy almost jumped in his seat.

“Huh?” he quickly averted his eyes from Kouyou, meeting the concerned ones of his friend. “What… what did you say?”

“How is Friday for you? Can you make it for a band practice after school?”

Yuu sighed and glanced at Kouyou briefly this time, feeling a strange bout of annoyance building up inside of him as he realized the blond wasn’t keen on granting him any of his attention today. “Yeah… um, Friday works.”

The awkward silence that followed held a lot of tension that threatened to burn Yuu from the inside-out and turn his whole being into mere ashes. Therefore, once the boy realized he couldn’t take it anymore, he was quick to stand up from his seat and gather his belongings in silence, which felt almost dreadful to him and everyone else.

“Yuu, where are you going?” Yutaka asked with a soft voice.

“The library.”

“Now?” Takanori’s question sounded slightly irritated, and it made Yuu throw a glare in his direction.

“I’m falling behind in some classes.”

_ “You _ are falling behind?”

Yuu didn’t respond this time, instead ignoring everyone’s gazes as he quickly left, heading for the library before his tears threatened to spill.

~

Sitting on a bench in the park at the front of the school, Yuu had paper sheets splayed out on his thighs as he kept doodling meaningless sketches of students and teachers passing by, desperately trying to distract himself from the real reason as to why he was still on the school grounds, despite that his classes for the day were already over.

He was waiting for Kouyou, and he hated how pathetic he probably was, but he missed the president dearly. 

A couple of days had passed already, and the fact that the blond had been missing from their lunch today worried the raven to no end. He needed to see him, even if it was just from afar, and Yuu was determined to stay as long as it took just to get a glance at his senior.

Too engrossed in his scribbles and thoughts, Yuu didn’t even realize when a tall man had approached him from behind, clearing his throat and startling the boy a second later.

“Hello, Yuu.”

The raven’s eyes widened in shock as soon as they fell on the figure standing next to him and he quickly hid his sketches away, throwing them into his backpack with a swift motion as he stood up from the bench.

“H-hello, Mr. Takashima,” he greeted the man, his face turning red and peering up at the tall figure as he tried to curve his lips into a smile, despite how frightened he was by the sudden encounter.

“I assume you have no classes, since I found you here.” The man smiled back, but for some reason, Yuu felt even more intimidated.

“Yeah.”

And then the bell announcing the end of all classes echoed through the building, reaching their ears and Yuu felt a slight bit of relief, but it didn’t last long.

“I… should be going. You’re here to pick Kouyou up, right?”

“Oh, no...” the man’s smile grew wider, sending jolts of fear through Yuu’s body. “Kouyou has his car today. I’m here for you.”

And then… Yuu’s breathing stilled in his lungs as he stared at the man in front of him.

“Me?” the boy asked meekly in return as he tried to keep his smile intact. “Why… would you want to meet me, Mr. Takashima?”

“I figured we should have a talk, since you‘ll keep tutoring my son… Mr. Math Champion for three years straight, winning competitions one after another until you suddenly disappeared. Quite unfortunate, don’t you think?” Yuu flinched as malice dripped from every syllable of the man’s words. “You won a national competition and didn’t show up to claim your reward at the ceremony.”

Yuu’s smile was gone now, keeping his gaze on the man as he tried to process all of the newfound information that had just been revealed to him. Kouyou’s father knew who he was, and that meant he knew where he came from, he knew where his old school was, he had probably communicated with them... and judging by his vicious smile as he stared back at the boy, Yuu was sure the man knew even more than that.

“I don’t… understand.”

“I think you do.”

Kouyou’s father had turned serious and Yuu was suffocating, feeling both dizzy and humiliated all at the same time. The boy couldn’t believe this was happening, but he also knew there was no other explanation for this sudden and unusual conversation right now, other than the man’s hidden intentions. Yuu was afraid and hurt, but also angry as he realized this man had actually dug through his past and invaded his privacy, just to hurt him and use it all against him in the end.

And Yuu was panicking as his brain swirled with all of the ideas which quickly came to his mind, knowing that this man came here with a purpose, and wasn’t going to let Yuu go until he submitted to his conditions, whatever they were.

“Don’t get me wrong, Yuu. I can see you’re not a bad boy, despite what I heard about you.” Yuu’s eyes instantly filled with tears which he fought not to spill right then and there as the man kept talking. “You seem genuinely concerned about my son, and I can understand why you fell for him. He always draws attention towards himself; I know he’s popular and is tempting for others, but he also has a weak heart.” The man’s eyes turned dark and Yuu shivered, unable to break their eye contact despite how much he wanted to turn around and run away… and never look back. “You are quiet and shy, or at least, you seem that way. You also have this attractive side of yours with your neat appearance, long hair and pretty face, and I know Kouyou’s protective side is pushing him further into this friendship, as he always felt the need to protect the weak. You manage to repay him well with the math lessons, but I want it to be clear that I will not let him be affected by your past no matter what. As soon as I find out his good image and prospective future has been threatened by your existence, I will do everything in my power to destroy that bond.”

A single tear made its way down Yuu’s cheek as the boy stood frozen in his spot, his eyes locked with the older man’s much darker ones. If he felt frightened before, not knowing what to expect from the break he and Kouyou were going through, he was absolutely  _ terrified  _ by this man and they way he spoke about the raven’s past.

But one thing had managed to relieve Yuu’s fear, even if it was just a tiny bit: the man didn’t know anything about the true nature of their so-called friendship. He didn’t know Yuu and Kouyou had already indulged themselves in a romantic relationship…

Yuu’s heart was shred to pieces, though, as he tried to take a breath and regain his heartbeat, which resulted in a sob in the end, his body convulsing slightly as it was unable to bear the pain and agony it was going through right now. He had never felt so humiliated in his life, his dignity being shattered to miniscule pieces once again, as he felt just as helpless and defeated as the last time someone had used his pure feelings against him.

“There he is.” The man’s smile was back and Yuu trembled, quickly wiping his cheeks, realizing the least he wanted right now was Kouyou seeing his tear-stained face, and in front of his father, on top of that. “Don’t disappoint me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh HECK
> 
> mittilla: Please don't kill us...


	32. Chapter 32

Emotionally distancing himself from Yuu was the one thing that Kouyou thought he'd chosen to do right in this entire, fucked up situation, but every painful glance that Yuu sent his way throughout the days had the senior wrecked from the inside out. He thought it would have been best for them to simply remain neutral after everything that had happened, yet the consequences were agonizing when Kouyou found that even just being in the raven's presence was eating away at him, and yet it injured the blond more to watch Yuu desert them, desert Kouyou, in favour of isolation in the library during lunch.

But he had to remind himself that it was the right thing to do, as much as it destroyed him. In order to fix what he had broken between himself and his beau, he had to endure the consequences of his mistakes.

If only Yuu didn't have to suffer the same pain as a result of Kouyou's stupidity… but the senior’s jealousy has proved to be stronger than venom already, and Kouyou knew that it would harm their relationship a lot more if they stayed together. Ever since that fateful night out, Kouyou’s insecurities had unleashed with a force he couldn’t tame and he had to find a way to deal with them or he risked doing something worse, damaging his relationship with Yuu even more.

"Dude," Akira interrupted his internal sulking, nudging the president in the ribs with his elbow. Kouyou blinked and looked up to take a look at what his best friend was gesturing to, towards the front of the school. "Is that your dad over there? With Yuu?"

"What?" Kouyou nearly barked, Akira's inquiries completely yanking him out of his tormenting inner conflicts. True to the other senior's words, his father was standing at the front of the school in front of Yuu who was sitting on the bench. Firstly, Kouyou couldn't help but wonder why Yuu was still at school, he didn't have a last class—secondly, why the fuck was that bastard of a father here, on the school grounds, making conversation with Yuu when the man wasn't even there to pick up Kouyou? He had his car and specifically told his father that he'd be driving himself home that afternoon.

Red flags and alarms went off so loudly inside of Kouyou's mind that he was deafened, and he couldn't even register Akira calling after the president when he had moved before he could think, bounding over to Yuu and his father—although just Akira had actually pointed out that Yuu was there, Kouyou was too blinded by his own thoughts to notice that the raven had already packed up his belongings and left.

Yuu disappeared before Kouyou had even noticed that he had been crying.

"Dad?" Kouyou huffed after he finally made it over, Akira beside him. His words came out hurried and harsh, even judgemental, from the mix of anxiety and anger that was clouding his mind as a result of what he'd just witnessed. "Why were you talking to Yuu?"

"Ah, hello, Kouyou," the man greeted casually, turning to face his son and Akira. He looked... pleased, and it unnerved Kouyou greatly. "I was merely checking up on how the tutoring is coming along, planning another session."

The president's heart instantly twisted at the man's words, because as convincing he could be as a liar (he has to be persuasive and able to bend the truth at the drop of a hat for his job), something in Kouyou's instincts told him to keep on his toes and remain suspicious of his father—because it simply didn't make sense for the man to come all this way and only discuss Kouyou's academic issues with his tutor.

When Kouyou didn't respond, Akira cleared his throat. "Kouyou is doing great, sir. There's nothing to worry about."

"Is it a crime for me to be concerned about my own son's well-being and success, as well as what may or may not hinder it?" The man snapped back to Akira's innocent reply, and both seniors were flinching at the harsh, deep undertones lying beneath the latter half of his sentence—because what the hell was it supposed to mean? Mr. Takashima was being irritably mysterious and judgemental, and it was beginning to piss Kouyou off.

"I suppose not, but—"

"But nothing." Akira's sentence was cut off by Mr. Takashima again, and Kouyou, staying silent up until that point, spoke up.

"Don't snap at my best friend like that, father." His tone was low, and his words dripped with venom towards the man he had no trust for at this point. Conversing with Yuu out of the blue and then getting angry at Akira was inexcusable, and although now was not the time to bring up his suspicions, he couldn't ignore it altogether. "Akira has no part in this."

"No part in what, Kouyou?" The man inquired, raising an eyebrow and, even though Kouyou was taller than his father, he didn't miss how he was trying to look down upon him, despite their height difference.

All in all, though, Kouyou didn't actually have a response for his father's question. He wasn't sure.

When the senior didn't respond, his father hummed before speaking, and his tone was almost taunting, like he knew he had won. "I'll see you at home, son."

And then he left, leaving Kouyou and Akira to each release a sigh of relief.

"Kou, fuck..."

"What the hell did he talk to Yuu about, Akira?" Kouyou growled to himself, although he was technically talking to Akira, and the other senior merely pursed his lips and shrugged. "I don't trust him. You saw how weird he was acting."

"I don't trust him either, but for right now, what can you possibly do?" Akira responded, but Kouyou ignored him in favour of speaking aloud his own distressed thoughts.

"But Aki, what if he knows? What if Yuu told him, what if he—"

"Kouyou," Akira comforted, his voice calm and low as he draped his arm over Kouyou's shoulders, giving him a shake as to rid him of the intrusive thoughts. "Yuu wouldn't tell him anything. If he did, it would be suicide for him as well as you. He would never put you both in jeopardy like that."

Kouyou pinched the bridge of his nose, scrunching up his eyes as he breathed deeply. "I don't know what the fuck is going on."

Akira only shook his head and wrapped his arm tighter around the president's neck. "I know your dad wants you home right now, but maybe tomorrow we could go out after school and do something. You need a distraction, and I don't think your dad will be  _ too  _ pissed off at you coming home an hour or so late tomorrow."

Kouyou smirked to hide his smile, but in the end he was full-on grinning at his best friend's proposal. Thank god for Akira, seriously, Kouyou didn't know what he would do without him by his side. "Yeah, I'd like that."

~

The next day was even worse than the previous. Not only were Kouyou and Yuu emotionally distant, but now physically, as well.

The boys had all gathered at lunch, but a certain raven-haired boy wasn't by Yutaka or Takanori's side when the two younger ones entered the cafeteria.

"Where's Yuu?" Kouyou questioned, glancing around frantically. "Is he in the library?"

"He didn't come to school today," Yutaka told him, starting to unpack his lunch. "He wasn't in class with me."

If Yuu didn't go to class then it definitely meant he hasn't come at all, because Yuu wasn't one to skip. Kouyou's face fell visibly solemn before it became anxious, and from beside him, Akira was giving him a nudge with his shoulder.

"I bet he's fine, Kou," the senior tried to soothe, probably because he was the only one who knew about Kouyou and Yuu's break, and he knew how much it was affecting his best friend. But Kouyou couldn't help but wonder what the reasoning behind it was, and instantly he was becoming tense again as he wondered... did it have something to do with Kouyou's father from yesterday? Because if Yuu didn't want to see Kouyou, he wouldn't have showed up yesterday, but he did. So either the raven found Kouyou's presence too much to bear or it had been the fault of the president's father.

Both reasonings were anxiety-inducing, but the latter was worse, and the fact that it was probably the correct one had Kouyou spacing out for the remainder of the lunch break as the rest of his friends talked, although Akira would nudge him and try to include him in the conversation every once in a while. None of his responses would end up being very adequate, however, as his mind was constantly being plagued by worried thoughts about Yuu and angry ones towards his father. Kouyou knew he needed time though and was convinced the break was necessary at this point. The senior couldn’t ignore the jealousy he experienced every time he had Takanori near him, prompting Kouyou to remember every detail he knew of the relationship the diva had with Yuu. And it still wrecked him inside out just as strongly as before.

Lunch break ended after an eternity and Kouyou had to go to his next class—math, which he had a quiz in, that he had completely forgotten to study for as the only thing in his mind the past few days had been Yuu. He went into the quiz with a terrible mindset, he couldn't remember formulas, he was distracted and unfocused, and even left some questions blank. He slammed the quiz onto the teacher's desk once he had had enough and stormed out of the room, only to receive a text from Akira saying that something had come up and their little bro-date would have to wait until tomorrow.

Fuck.

~

Yuu had showed up today, to Kouyou's relief, as he had seen him between classes—although they never did speak, he met the raven's eyes once or twice, and it never failed to give him the same sort of lovestruck jolt that Kouyou always received whenever Yuu touched him or looked at him.

But to find out the raven spent lunch in the library instead of with the rest of the group in the cafeteria had Kouyou crushed.

"What's up with Yuu?" Takanori asked before munching on a chip.

"I don't know. He was in class this morning but he basically avoided me and shut me down whenever I tried to talk to him. I've never seen him like this, I wonder what's wrong?" replied Yutaka, and every word wrecked Kouyou futher; he was responsible for all of this, and now it was beginning to affect all of their friends. He never wanted this to happen, he didn't mean for it to, fuck, everything was wrong—

"Kouyou? You must have some idea of what's going on," said Takanori, and Akira cleared his throat awkwardly, preparing to come to his best friend's defense if need be.

"He's... just a little sick, is all. Caught a cold and doesn't wanna spread it," Kouyou lied, guiltily avoiding the eyes of his friends as he unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite.

"Yeah, he should be feeling better soon," Akira backed up, although Kouyou didn't care to acknowledge it.

Once again the president was caught in a daze as he ignored his friends' conversation, wondering about Yuu, worrying about Yuu. He was left in the dark and whatever was in it was attacking him; Kouyou was breaking, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could handle being away from Yuu. The raven had become like his lifeline. Kouyou never should have gotten upset with him. He should have never proposed that they take a break, he should have never gotten so poisoned with jealousy. He shouldn't have done any of it.

Because if this was how terrible Kouyou was feeling, what was it like for Yuu? Was he in just as bad condition, was he worse? Or was he okay?

Kouyou couldn't bear the thought of any of it right now.

~

When Kouyou received news of the fact that he had failed his math quiz, he wasn't surprised, but he was upset nonetheless, and to find Akira waiting for him at the end of the day was a major relief.

"I failed my math quiz."

Akira sighed and pat the president's shoulder reassuringly. "I know you did, Kou. I know you did."

"Hey, fuck you," Kouyou growled underneath a laugh at his best friend's honesty—but it was something he needed. He needed bluntness and he needed at least some truth amongst everything else; amongst all the other lies and enigmas that wracked his mind daily.

The two seniors ended up going to a high-end music store, not that they needed more equipment, as they were both pretty loaded with it already, but it felt nice to get out and do some shopping nonetheless. Akira bought a few pedals while Kouyou didn't spend too much, buying a few little things while most of his time was spent browsing.

Did Yuu need any more equipment? He'd have to ask him and come back...

"Earth to Kouyou," came Akira's annoyed voice when  the president was caught staring at guitars in a daze. "Your phone is going off."

"My—oh," Kouyou muttered, finally noticing the vibrations and text tone. He reached into his pocket to pull out the device, and his breath hitched when he saw who the texts had been from.

Dad: I just received word from your math teacher. Come home, Kouyou. We need to talk.

"Fuck," Kouyou cursed upon reading the message, his anxieties going through the roof. Judging by the tone of the man through the pixels, the president was in trouble.

Akira took notice of Kouyou's distress and was quick to come closer and question him. "Kouyou? What's the matter?"

Growling, Kouyou shut off his phone and shoved it back into his pocket. "My dad found out about the test mark and he wants me home now. Goddammit, Akira, what am I going to do?"

At the news, Akira was wincing. "Dude... all I can say is... good luck."

Kouyou gave an exasperated sigh. "Thanks."

"I'll be the first one at your funeral, I promise."

"Aki..."

"I'll even help lower your coffin into the grave."

"Uh..."

"I'll tell Shiro you love him. And then I'll take Shiro, because I love him more."

"Okay, bye, Akira."

God bless that idiot.

~

The drive home was agonizing. Kouyou was left to his own silence and his own thoughts as he couldn't even bother to put on music, because everything he had somehow reminded him about Yuu in some way.

He pulled into his driveway before long, and he wished he hadn't. Kouyou was deathly afraid of his father, and although he was at a point in his life where he shouldn't let himself submit, he was living under his roof after all, and that bastard of a man was the one paying his bills and allowing him to splurge on expensive items.

The blond senior walked up to his front door after exiting his car and shutting the door, taking his time to enter after unlocking it. He looked around upon entry and found the foyer to be empty; curiously he took off his shoes and padded around the house quietly, as if he were prey on the lookout for a predator.

"Kouyou," sounded a gruff voice from the dining room—his father's voice, and it was enough to make Kouyou shiver. The man already sounded aggravated and it haunted the senior to his core, knowing that his father was sure to be furious seeing his only son's grade drop from stellar to absolutely unacceptable. "Come here, please. Now."

And Kouyou did. He took a deep inhale before building up the courage to face his father and his fury, making his way to the dining room cautiously, slowly, his heart pounding loudly in his chest as he finally arrived to feel his father's eyes burning holes straight through Kouyou's flesh upon entry—but the scariest thing was that the bastard of a man wasn't alone.

"Yuu?!"

"Kouyou..."

Before Kouyou could even register Yuu's meek voice from where he was seated at the table, his father was speaking up next.

"There is no reason my son should go from such a fantastic grade to one that is laughable. Therefore, I requested for your tutor to come over and give you some help, because clearly you're in need of it." The man was stern and his voice was loud, it had Kouyou nearly quivering, although he knew he couldn't bow down to his father so easily, not now, not over this. "Or maybe he isn't the right tutor for you, Kouyou. I'll assess you two during this session and we will deal with the outcome afterwards."

Internally, the senior was ecstatic to finally be seeing Yuu again after it had been so long, but at the same time, under these circumstances, he couldn't bring himself to enjoy the raven's company to the fullest. Not when his father was watching them so menacingly as Kouyou took a seat beside Yuu—yet his stomach was in butterflies at their close proximity.

The stakes were high and he had to make sure he and Yuu went through this session smoothly, because by that point Kouyou had not even a single trace of anger towards Yuu left in his body, he was no longer upset over what he had one been; all that was left in his exhausted being was the loneliness and the sadness he held after being apart from Yuu like he had been. He missed Yuu more than words could ever express and the blond wanted nothing more than to pounce on his beautiful raven and make up with him right then and there, smothering him with kisses and hugs as he whispered to Yuu his undying love and how he had absolutely been in the wrong...

"We'll start with the exercises on page 324," Yuu said in a solemn, emotionless voice, and it hurt Kouyou more than he could fathom to see his beau like this as a result of his actions, his mistakes. It took the senior a minute to register what was being asked of him as he simply basked in Yuu's company after all this time, but was quickly, reluctantly, snapped back to reality.

"You heard him, Kouyou. Page 324," came his father's scrutinizing voice from the other end of the table. Kouyou blinked back to life as he grabbed the textbook and flipped it open to the page Yuu had requested, his face falling instantly.

"This is what was on your quiz, right? You didn't understand any of it?" Yuu asked in full tutor-mode.

"Yeah, and I... couldn't remember the formulas."  _ Because I was too busy remembering all of the happy times I had with you. _

"Then we'll start over from the beginning."  _ Can we please, Yuu? Can we put all of this behind us? _

"Let me show you my quiz, and we'll see where I did the worst."  _ Let me love you again. Help me fix my mistakes. _

"Okay."

~

For the first little while, the tutoring has gone flawlessly. Despite how hard it was for Kouyou to focus when Yuu was so close to him, when their hands brushed almost every time Yuu went to take Kouyou's pencil and fix his mistake, when the senior could smell Yuu's delicious floral scents, and he had felt like he'd fallen in love with Yuu all over again, he managed to persevere and complete the tasks at hand.

"How is he doing, Yuu?"

Both boys focused their attention on the man who'd spoken out of the blue, pausing for a moment. When Yuu realized that the intimidating man was talking to him, he spoke. "He's doing very well, Mr. Takashima. I don't understand how he scored so terribly on that quiz."

"Hmm, is that so?" Kouyou's father hummed at the news of his son's success, his fingers slowing at the email he was typing on his MacBook. "Are you just saying that, Yuu? Or is it true?"

Beside him, Kouyou felt Yuu tense at the accusation in the man's voice. "It's true, sir. He's becoming one of the best."

Although Kouyou went inwardly smug at Yuu's indirect praise, he couldn't keep it for long when his father spoke up again. "Have you tutored other students before?"

"I haven't."

Again, the man hummed at the revelation, and Kouyou had to clear his throat awkwardly.

"Kouyou is your first? What makes him so special?"

"Dad, please—"

"Mr. Takashima, we really should be getting back to studying—"

"Kouyou is the president. He's the captain of a sports team. He's the one all of the girls want," the man's eyes went dark, so dark that Kouyou felt Yuu cowering behind him, "and it appears he's the one that the boys want, too."

_ What the fuck...? _

"M-mr Takashima—"

"How do I know that your tutoring is done with pure intentions, Yuu?" Kouyou's father was angry now, his fists balling up and his knuckles going nearly white. "When you're constantly looking at him with those hungry eyes. When you're so obvious about your sinful desires towards another boy. When you cower behind him like he's going to protect you, right in front of my goddamn face?"

"Sir...!"

The man slammed his fists down on the table, and Kouyou knew—that was it. The last straw.

"Dad, just what the  _ fuck  _ are you trying to say?" Kouyou snarled, standing up so abruptly that it sent his chair screeching against the floor behind him and Yuu letting out a yelp. He stared down at his father with such intense rage that for a moment, Kouyou thought the man was going to give in—but he was quickly matching it instead, standing up as Kouyou did.

"What I'm trying to say is that your friend is a faggot and I don't think he should be tutoring you anymore. He could influence you, Kouyou, and we can't have that, now can we? Not when you're supposed to settle down with a nice, successful woman and follow in your mother and I's footsteps—"

"Don't talk about Yuu that way!" Kouyou barked, interrupting his dad before he could finish as the pure rage inside of the senior had already reached its boiling point and was spilling over. To hear his own father talk about the boy he loved so dearly in such a bad light set off Kouyou's fuse, and there was no extinguishing it now. "Who the fuck says I can't be successful if my partner is a man? What difference does it make?"

"Because that's just not how it works, Kouyou, I—"

"And to think he could possibly influence me is just moronic. He didn't  _ influence shit _ . He helped me discover myself..." Kouyou's voice went quiet at his last sentence, and he glanced back over his shoulder to send a saddened, soft smile to Yuu, who was cowering in his seat. And yet the raven returned the smile, and Kouyou definitely felt like he'd fallen in love all over again. "And he chose to tutor me because he cares for my well-being and my success. More than you and mom ever could."

"Kouyou, you'd better not be telling me what I think you're—"

"That I'm in love with a boy? This boy? The boy you gave so much shit even if he had nothing to do with you? Yeah, that's what I'm fucking telling you, dad, that I love Shiroyama Yuu until the end of time, and that no matter how badly either of us may fuck up, I believe that we'll always come back to each other in the end. I'm telling you that as much as you want me to settle down with a 'nice' woman and become a stressed couple with no chemistry and no love, it's not going to happen. Because I have everything I could ever want right here," Kouyou ended his rant in a soft voice, extending his hand out to Yuu behind him, although cautiously, because after everything that happened, he didn't know if Yuu would accept his advance—but he did, and Kouyou was happily wrapping his arm around Yuu's waist and hugging him against the side of his body as though Yuu was his missing puzzle piece—because in the end, that's exactly what Yuu was. His other half. His completion. "Yuu is the one I love and that's never going to change, dad."

At the other end of the table, Kouyou's dad had gone silent and his face was red as he fumed, processing each and every one of his son's words and wanting to do nothing more than chew them up and spit them out as though they meant nothing. He couldn't accept this. Not from his star son, not from the boy he'd worked so hard to raise and make successful, not the boy who would eventually carry on the Takashima name in limelight...

"I need you to get out of my house, Shiroyama."

"Dad, no, what—"

"I said out. Get out!" The man barked, and Kouyou was stepping back fearfully, hugging Yuu tightly as the raven whined against Kouyou's chest. The senior stared in utter astonishment at the sudden change of character in his father, a man who always kept himself so composed for the public eye—but something inside of him snapped, and Kouyou had never seen him so angry, not even when his job had caused him nothing but agony.

"Dad, you can't..."

"Kouyou," Yuu whispered, peeking up at his senior boyfriend from down below, "I love you. I love you so much, and in the end, everything will be okay. But I need to go."

"Yuu, no, no don't leave me, please—"

"Goodbye, Yuu," interjected Kouyou's father impatiently, and Kouyou glared at him with a look fused with heartbreak and sheer anger. "I don't expect to see you around these parts any more."

"Yuu!"

And then Yuu was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :'(


	33. Chapter 33

Walking down the empty street of Kouyou’s neighbourhood, Yuu’s sobs were growing louder with each step he took. His body was in so much agony and distress, his mind panicking with all of the flashbacks running in front of his eyes, speeding up and repeating over and over like a tape. He had never witnessed such a fight between two people before, despite how much it reminded him of the fight he and his father had once Yuu came out to his family a few years ago. Kouyou’s father was something that Yuu had never experienced before, and he hated himself as he recalled all of the times this man had crushed him with his dark eyes and spiteful words. He had allowed this man to humiliate him in every possible way, stomping on his dignity and feelings like they meant nothing.

It didn’t take long before Yuu felt dizzy and his mind went blank as the boy felt tired enough to stop in his tracks and sit down on the corner of the street.

He thanked the gods that there was no living soul around to witness his breakdown, his body convulsing and shaking violently as it took him awhile to get a hold of his erratic breathing. Yuu’s vision cleared a moment later after he managed to wipe off most of the tears spilling  from his eyes and his phone vibrated in his pocket.

The boy quickly took it out, hoping to see a certain blond’s name written on the display, but it turned out to be a brunet’s instead. Yuu hesitated for a moment, not sure if his mentality was in a state strong enough to answer the call, but he was also desperate to talk to someone…  _ anyone... _ as the pain and suffering he was going through was too much for him to bear alone.

“Yuu, where are you? Are you with Kouyou? We have practice today, remember?” Yutaka’s voice echoed in the raven’s ear, and the boy choked a sob before he was able to mutter his next words.

“I… I’m sor-rry.”

“Yuu… are you okay?” the boy was concerned now, and Yuu heard a noise as if someone was talking to his friend on the other end of the line. “Are you crying?”

There was more noise which followed after Yutaka’s words, and the next voice Yuu heard  was one that instantly managed to soothe him.

“Yuu, what’s going on?” Takanori sounded even more concerned than Yutaka, and Yuu was able to sense the fear lingering in the tone of his ex-best friend.

And then, the raven spilled the reason for his torment without hesitation, his voice breaking even more than it did before.

“He knows… Taka… he knows a-about me. H-he knows about… us... with K-Kouyou…”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Kouyou’s father…”

There was silence on the other end of the line and Yuu waited for a response as seconds passed, and the memories of Kouyou’s fight with his father flooded his mind again.

“Akira, get in the car, we're picking Yuu up. Where are you, Yuu?”

Yuu glanced around, explaining his surroundings carefully, and the that fact he managed to focus enough and be adequate as he delivered the details to his friend, served as another distraction from the agony he felt.

Takanori kept Yuu on the phone as he tried to calm the raven with his soft voice, and it didn’t take long until Akira’s car arrived and the boys took Yuu into an embrace, letting him cry his heart out in silence.

Yuu was taken to Yutaka’s house and the raven spent the next couple of hours lying helpless on the sofa as he told his friends everything, not missing a single detail regarding the way Kouyou’s father had treated him.

He told them how suspicious the man was from the start, and how every time they met, he had something to use and hurt the raven deeply with. He told them about the way the man approached him, how Yuu felt afterwards, and how it all led to the fight the boy had to witness earlier the same day.

He was crying at the beginning, sobbing and stuttering as the memories brought all of the agony he suppressed back to the surface, but his friends were understanding and kind. They listened and brought him comfort in every way possible; from the angry remarks Takanori spat in favor of Kouyou’s dad, to the funny, dumb comments Akira would throw in here and there, forcing Yuu’s lips to curve slightly in a supposed smile despite the hurt wrecking his soul.

The raven was also scared and  _ so  _ worried for his boyfriend, especially now after he witnessed an entirely different side of the president’s father. He still hadn’t heard a word from Kouyou and it was eating him inside, making him go mad with panic.

“So that bastard thinks he can chain Kouyou to a girl and have him follow orders,” Takanori barked as he sipped from a glass full of gin, which Akira had routinely prepared for him.

Yuu didn’t respond but stared at the ceiling instead, his mouth dry and throat sore as he gulped.

“That’s not happening, and he knows Kouyou can’t be tamed,” Akira smirked and gave Yuu a reassuring nod. “The thing is, the old man is too obsessed with Kou’s good image. He can’t interrupt his routine or ground him, because it’ll become suspicious and invoke questions. God forbid if the thought of Kouyou not being so perfect crosses anyone’s mind.”

“He’ll think of something…” Yuu answered, his voice weak as he slowly rose to a sitting position, hugging his knees and pressing them tightly to his chest. “He was really furious, and I know he’s already plotting something. He’ll definitely try something and hurt Kouyou in the process.”

“Kouyou? What about you?” Takanori rose an eyebrow at him, and Yuu’s eyes quickly turned watery again.

Yuu had forgotten about that little aspect as his thoughts had been occupied by his senior and Kouyou’s wellbeing this whole time. He didn’t even spare one thought about himself, even though the consequences of everything were probably bound to break him the most. He simply couldn’t allow himself to think differently, but Takanori’s words had managed to shake him up enough and now… Yuu was frightened.

“I think you two can wreck the old man,” Akira was quick to say, realizing that Yuu wasn’t going to respond. “Kouyou would do anything to protect your relationship, together you’re strong...”

“Speaking of that, though,” Takanori interrupted the senior, and Yuu sensed the way his tone turned suspicious. “What happened? Kouyou’s dad approached you on Wednesday, right? You’ve been acting weird the entire week.”

Yuu’s eyes widened in shock, hearing the clever remarks of the short blond in front of him, and the boy’s hands trembled noticeably as he hugged his knees tighter. “It’s nothing...”

“Drop it and just spill the beans.” Takanori was annoyed now, and the raven realized he was too tired to fight with the diva over this.

“Kou and I… we took a break.”

Takanori stared at him in silence for the next couple of seconds, his eyes looking empty, deprived of any emotion. He licked his lips a moment later and slowly turned to Akira who was trying to avoid the shorter boy’s gaze, his body radiating with guilt.

“You fucking knew,” the diva growled at the senior, making him flinch. “What did Kouyou do this time?”

“It was my fault.” Yuu spoke quietly, and Takanori looked at him with surprise. ”I overreacted on Friday, and… I defended you in front of Akira. Kouyou saw it differently, though… he thought…” Yuu’s heartache throbbed in his chest again, and he almost felt suffocated before spilling his last words. “He thought I still had feelings for you.”

Takanori didn’t respond, and Yuu felt oddly uncomfortable as he averted his gaze and looked down at his feet instead.

The buzzing sound of his phone managed to startle everyone, though, and Yuu quickly retrieved the device from his pocket, his heart stilling in his chest as he saw Kouyou’s name on the display.

Kouyou: Yuu, are you alright?

Kouyou: Where are you??

Kouyou: Please forgive me, Yuu. This man is unbelievable. I just managed to escape to my room and finally look for you.

Kouyou: Please tell me you’re okay and safe.

Kouyou: Yuu?

Kouyou: Are you there???

Yuu: I’m fine, Kouyou!

The boy was so happy and  _ so  _ relieved seeing the frantic messages as they kept popping up on the screen. He felt like crying all over again, knowing that Kouyou was fine, texting him and showering him with his affections. His father didn’t take his phone away, didn’t take any measures to cut them off yet—and even though the raven knew he should be frightened, he felt genuinely happy and relieved, despite everything that had happened between them.

“Is that Kouyou?” Takanori asked, and as soon as the raven nodded, the boy’s features eased with relief.

The raven kept typing with his boyfriend for the rest of the evening and no one dared to re-open the topics they touched upon earlier. Yuu knew his friends were simply trying to make him feel better and he dearly appreciated it, but he also knew nothing would be able to soothe him better than his boyfriend.

He really missed Kouyou and his whispers, his warmth and gentle touches. Even after he went to bed (Yutaka being kind enough to offer him one of the guest rooms) he couldn’t stop recalling all the words the blond used to express and defend their relationship in front of his parent. He admired the way his senior had shown such bravery exceeding everything that Yuu was capable of himself. Kouyou was truly wonderful and more than Yuu could ever ask for; with his gorgeous smile, soft blond locks of hair and big gentle heart, which contained a big dose of cheekiness. One that the raven loved with all of his own.

Despite how scared and hurt he was, Yuu knew that he couldn’t rely only on Kouyou’s strength alone to protect them anymore. Yuu was stubborn himself, his heart carrying bravery which was yet to surface, and the boy was determined to show Kouyou and everyone that he was ready to fight for his love as well.

And that night as he tossed and he turned, the boy swore to never leave Kouyou’s side like he did earlier that day.

~

Just after Kouyou had watched Yuu leave his house in distress caused by the bastard of a man that the president had no choice but to label his own flesh and blood, his father, he had stormed up to his bedroom, but not before spewing out loud insults and curses at the man who had just ruined absolutely everything for both him and the boy he loved so dearly. Seeing the various degrading effects that his father had on Yuu destroyed the senior, and knowing he could do nothing to help his beau in that moment had been one of the highest forms of torture.

But to basically have said "fuck you, this is who I am" to his father had lifted an immense amount of weight off of Kouyou's shoulders, and although the consequences would indeed be dire, it felt good to at last feel somewhat free and like his own person under his father's continuously watchful eye; and although he would continue to watch Kouyou, although he would try to bestow punishment upon his perfect son, the blond wouldn't be tamed.

And so, once Kouyou had escaped his dad before his wrath could reach a level more severe, the boy had escaped up to his bedroom, locking the door and taking solace in his shiba's company for the time being—although, glancing at his phone, he realized he had something important he had to attend to.

Yuu.

Kouyou sent off various panicked texts to the raven, making sure he was alright and safe. To his immense relief, Yuu took up residence at Yutaka's for the night, with Takanori and Akira. He ended up texting with him all evening, and he apologized for missing their practice; but evidently there was nothing that could be done, and Yuu told him that the rest of their bandmates understood.

And so, hours passed like minutes as they talked, and when Yuu finally announced he was going to bed, Kouyou... didn't know what to do with himself.

He simply laid there on his bed, stroking his shiba as the past week's, and most abundantly tonight's events, made rounds within his mind.

To think about how terribly his father reacted and how often he probably talked to Yuu and humiliated him had Kouyou tossing and turning, unable to shake the thoughts of it all; not even when Shiro nuzzled him and licked him to give the senior a distraction could Kouyou manage to forget.

He didn't know what the future held for him. For Yuu. For the both of them and all of their friends. That old bastard of a father had single handedly invaded their lives and ruined it all, just when things had finally started to piece together so perfectly.

Something that made Kouyou smirk was the fact that he knew his father couldn't touch him or do anything to him that would raise questions in the public. The president was practically untouchable, despite it all, and while the man might attempt drastic measures to keep his son under his parasitic control, Kouyou just wouldn't have it.

Kouyou rolled over once more, and that was when his eyes locked on a photo that he'd often overlooked on a daily basis, but something now was drawing him in, calling to him and saying something he couldn't understand.

He got up off of the bed to get closer to it, to examine its contents further. His finger traced the frame, and in the dark it took his eyes moments to adjust to the photograph inside of it—but when they did, he almost gasped at the realization, now understanding why he's suddenly been so drawn to it.

The photograph contained a young Kouyou, looking the happiest he's ever seen himself. The young—at the time a brunet—boy was smiling wide, his eyes crinkled up as his little chubby cheeks were raised under the force of his happy smile. Almost sadly, Kouyou stroked the photo with his thumb, reminiscing over when times were simpler, when he didn't have to worry about grades, running an entire school, or social problems. When he and Akira would always wrestle around and play sports together, read comics and do boyish things...

When his father wasn't so intent on controlling his son's every move.

Just before Kouyou could get upset at the revelation, his eyes noticed another figure in the photo. A teenage girl, smiling just as widely as little Kouyou, holding him close as she protected him, kept him safe and was always by his side through thick and thin. The kind eyes of that girl were something Kouyou could recognize anywhere.

They were the eyes of the only family member he'd ever built a strong connection with. The one person who always cared for him, loved him and made him happy when his parents never could, always doing her best to raise him as though he was her own.

The girl in the photograph was Kouyou's older sister.

"Aiko..."

The senior sighed, gently touching the photograph again as he reminisced. Aiko went off to university when Kouyou entered high school, and that was the point in Kouyou's life when he had started to become someone he wasn't, simply to please his father and the impossible standards he set for his son. Of course, Kouyou didn't know any better at the time, and complied to every order of his father no matter how strict or how gruelling—simply because he had nothing else. Without his sister, Kouyou was lonely, he was sad and he didn't know what to do with himself. It was around that point that his parents went away on longer business trips, and although they had always been back and forth between home and away at work, Kouyou always had his sister to look after him and keep him company. But with her away and Kouyou old enough to be responsible for himself, he was abandoned time after time to spend weeks, sometimes even months at a time by himself in his giant home. Although his parents had gotten him a dog around that time, and even if he frequented Akira's house and started spending his time at more parties, Kouyou was... alone.

"Shit," Kouyou whispered under his breath, wiping away a tear that had started to form.

He always was a crybaby—it was something Aiko continuously teased him for as a child, and it was something that his father scolded, saying that he was too much of a man to shed tears like he often would. Especially when Kouyou had gotten onto student council, eventually becoming its president. Kouyou's father always told him to not show weakness around the other students.

Of course, being good-looking Kouyou had always been popular, especially once he'd made it onto student council and onto sports teams, often becoming the captain. He had acquired quite the following of fans, and he was always the girls' first choice.

But none of them knew the real Kouyou. None of them ever would—nobody besides Akira would know Takashima Kouyou.

It was also around this time that the boys started to develop normal teenage boy hormones, which meant a rabid interest in women, making out and sex—but Akira had always been more excited about it than Kouyou was, which more often than not, lead to abandoning Kouyou at parties in favour of a quick lay. Meanwhile, Kouyou just never really understood the appeal. He didn't find the female figure to be as alluring to him as it was for every other guy he knew, and although he tried to make out, get a girlfriend and have sex with her in order to  fit in with the rest and possibly fill the lonely void in his heart, his actions proved futile and after having sex that he didn't enjoy with his first, only, as well as last girlfriend, did he decide that he just didn't want to have anything to do with romance. As for sexual release, his hand had become his best friend, although even getting off like that had been difficult because of how women in porn never managed to arouse him. But he didn't know any better.

Kouyou didn't know any better until he met Shiroyama Yuu, a boy who had stolen his heart, made him feel things and forced the president to open up like he had never opened up to anybody before. Something about Yuu always stood out to him; he was always different amongst the rest, and he intrigued Kouyou.

And so it wasn't long before the senior fell in love with that new student, and he finally understood why girls had never done anything for him.

Because Kouyou was gay. He was deathly in love with a boy, and he wanted to make love to that boy, he wanted to worship every inch of his beauty and his figure, he wanted to appreciate and protect him. He wanted to love Yuu until the ends of time.

But without eliciting the help of Aiko, Kouyou wouldn't be able to do that. He had to contact her right away—she would know what to do. She would always be there for Kouyou. She promised him that.

So after glancing at the sacred photograph one last time, Kouyou was placing it back down and making his way back over to his bed and fishing around for his phone in the dark. Eventually he found it and was quickly opening his text messages and searching for his sister's contact, taking a deep breath before opening it and typing out his first message to her in quite a few months.

Kouyou: Hi Ai-chan

Kouyou: How are you? I miss you. Text me back as soon as you can ♡

The blond set his phone down after sending out the message, anticipating that she was busy with a school work or sleeping—but just as he did that, it buzzed with a newfound notification.

Aiko: Kou!!!!

Aiko: How is my little brother? ;w; I'm good, but I miss you lots too! School has been busy and I'm sorry we haven't been in contact ;( boo

Kouyou was grinning, now, as he read his sister's text messages, beyond relieved that he had received a response from her so quickly. Although his smile quickly faltered when he remembered the reason for his texts, and his fingers were moving fast as he proceeded to type out his next message.

Kouyou: Don't worry about it! I'm just happy to finally talk to you again.

Kouyou: Listen, can we call if you aren't busy? Things are... not so great right now and I'd love to hear your voice again.

Aiko: omg Kouyou, yes we can, I just got into bed but I have afternoon classes tomorrow

Aiko: Call me right now

And so Kouyou did. He quickly dialed her number and held his breath as the few rings sounded in his ear, his heart pounding against his ribs in anticipation of hearing his sister's kind voice after all this time.

"Kou? What's wrong?"

Exactly like Kouyou remembered, her voice was soft and it was sweet, always soothing him whenever he cried or whenever he was upset. He smiled to himself as he relished in the feeling of her comfort.

"Aiko..." Kouyou's face scrunched up as he gathered all of his thoughts, although he could already foresee that it would all come out in distressed word vomit. "Um... god, everything is so fucked up right now and I don't even know how to start it..."

"I'm always here for you, Kouyou, and you know you can tell me anything. It might be hard, and it might be scary—but I won't let you face it alone."

Her words sent the blond's eyes watering again, and this time he felt a tear slip down his face—but he didn't care. He was in the hands of Aiko now, and he knew every one of her words to be true.

Taking a deep breath, he knew it was going to be difficult to tell her everything, but he had to do it. For his sake and for Yuu's. "I'm sorry I had to tell you this over the phone. I would've wanted to say it to your face, but I... I..."

"Hush, Kou, don't worry. It doesn't matter that you're telling me over the phone if it's something you need to tell me as soon as possible." Kouyou was so lucky to have this strong woman in his life, taking care of him like his mother never had. Aiko always had it the toughest, being the older sister having to take care of her younger brother almost all the time, even when she was in her senior years of high school and she had to worry about her studies and entering university. Kouyou looked up to her more than anyone.

"I have a boyfriend, Aiko. I'm gay."

The other line went silent for a moment, scaring Kouyou, although soon he could hear a faint chuckle coming from the woman.

"Oh, Kou, I always knew," Aiko waved off, which had Kouyou almost spluttering. He knew she would accept him for who he was, but she... actually knew?! "You never really grew out of that 'girls are icky' stage, even when Akira and all the other boys had. I figured maybe you were just a late bloomer, but at the same time, I figured maybe there was something deeper."

"You seriously always knew..." Kouyou was chuckling, now, because maybe he was always a bit obvious. Hell, Takanori had him figured out in a heartbeat...

"I did," she admitted, "and Kouyou, no matter who you love, you'll always be the little brother I love more than anything, and I'll always be with you every step of the way." And now Kouyou was crying. He didn't know what he'd do without her. "Now, as much as I want to hear every cute little detail about how you two met and what he's like, I can tell there's something else that’s bothering you."

"Yes," Kouyou admitted, wiping his tears away as Aiko saw right through him. He took a deep breath before speaking his next sentence, because it was now or never. "Um... dad found out. Well, he figured out about Yuu and kept saying things that made him uncomfortable, and then... today I just... I couldn't take it anymore, and I spilled everything to him. He kicked Yuu out, and he's safe. But I know dad is going to try and break us up, and I don't know what to do, because I love my boyfriend, I love him so, so much, and this past week has been such a mess overall, and I... I..."

When Kouyou was sniffling and choking out sobs between words, Aiko interfered with that soothing voice of hers that never failed to calm Kouyou. "Oh, Kou... that man really is a bastard, but he can't touch you, remember that," she said, although Kouyou already knew it. "You really love this Yuu, don't you? I can tell, and I know you won't let anything get between you, not even dad. But," she picked up, and Kouyou's ears perked. "Listen. Dad is an evil that you may not be able to deal with alone, and I don't want to find out that that's the case before it's too late." She paused. "I have a few days off next week, so I'll come and visit you."

"Will you really?" Kouyou grinned through the tears he had shed, already ecstatic at the news. He hadn't seen Aiko in so long. "You'll visit?"

"Of course! I miss my little brother, and to be honest, I'm excited to meet this boyfriend he likes so much..."

"You'll love him. He's perfect," Kouyou fawned.

"Is that so? Well, I'm very excited to meet him, then—and I'll do everything in my power to make sure dad can at least compromise with the circumstance. He's no match for the Takashima siblings," Aiko joked, and Kouyou was smiling softly to himself again.

"I don't know how I could ever thank you."

"You don't have to. I love you, Kouyou."

"I love you too."

The siblings hung up soon after saying goodnight, and the blond felt there was still one thing left to do before he could finally settle down for the night. He opened the chat Yuu and quickly typed his thoughts to him.

Even though everything was fucked right now, he knew that he and Yuu would be okay in the end.

~

Yuu was tossing and turning in his bed as he tried to rest his body in a comfortable position. He couldn’t fall asleep and his muscles felt tense, slightly hurting him with every movement he produced, ruffling the sheets. He knew that his mind was too awake to rest right now, especially since his feelings were still storming inside of him. The memory of Kouyou’s father spitting his venom at the boys was hunting him, the fear of losing Kouyou overwhelming his heart.

Yuu didn’t know this kind of pain existed and was totally unprepared as he failed to find comfort and solace in his sleep over and over again. His mind simply refused to rest and chose to remain active, going over every torturous thought of Yuu’s.

The boy eventually gave up and laid on his back, staring at the darkness between him and the ceiling when his phone vibrated next to his head.

It startled him, but he quickly took the device in his hands, his lips curving into a smile as soon as he read the text messages on the screen.

Kouyou: I can’t sleep.

Kouyou: Are you awake?

Yuu: I am… I can’t sleep either.

The pixelated messages sent instant relief to the pain in Yuu’s chest, and it took only a couple more seconds before Kouyou was sending him another one.

Kouyou: Can I call you?

Yuu: Yes, I’m alone.

Yuu took a deep breath as he waited patiently, his phone ringing a moment later, and the raven answered it immediately.

“Kouyou.”

He heard a sigh on the other end of the line.

“You have no idea how much I needed to hear your voice.”

Yuu wasn’t sure if it was the connection of the call or not, but Kouyou’s voice seemed weak, and soft... and so low as he spoke.

“Me too, Kou.” The raven answered immediately and closed his eyes in an attempt to soothe his aching heart further, despite that the blond’s voice was doing the job pretty well already.

They both fell into a short silence hearing each other’s breathing on the other end, and Yuu felt sadness creeping up in him again.

“I’m sorry.” Kouyou’s next words sent Yuu back into panic mode and his breathing quickened. “I am so,  _ so  _ sorry, Yuu.”

The raven didn’t respond right away as he didn’t expect Kouyou to apologize to him like this. He blinked the tears away though and managed to collect himself as he finally spoke back, feeling determination rising up inside of him.

“It wasn’t your fault, Kouyou. It was nobody’s fault. But as long as we’re together, it’ll be fine. I’ll fight for yo—”

“I’m not talking about my father,” Kouyou interrupted the raven, and Yuu was rendered speechless as he stared into the ceiling with frightened eyes. “I’m apologizing for my jealousy.”

The pain in Yuu’s heart after hearing the blond’s broken voice was threatening to break him all over again. His eyes were watery, but the boy fought hard to stay strong, despite all of the memories from the past week, which came crashing down on him now.

“It’s okay, Kouyou… please, let’s not talk about this now...”

“No, it’s not okay, my kitten…” and then, upon hearing the sweet, cute nickname his boyfriend was so accustomed to calling him, Yuu’s tears spilled as he didn’t have the strength to hold them in anymore. It was okay, though; just this time, and the boy didn’t get mad at himself for this weakness. Surprisingly, it didn’t make him feel weak at all—instead, he felt powerful, his love for the senior stronger than ever.

“I’m sorry for everything from the start.” Kouyou was speaking again and Yuu concentrated on his voice. “I don’t know why… or how I got so triggered, but I felt so insecure, Yuu. I’ve never been jealous in my life—at least not like this—and I needed to let it out… and I hurt you in the process. Seeing you defend Takanori so passionately unlocked so many questions in my head, it was unbearable, and I’m still so fucking jealous.” Kouyou then took a deep breath and his voice lowered again, almost turning into whisper. ”I’ll get over it… I promise… I don’t know how, but I will, I just… I’m so sorry...”

“Kouyou. We’ll handle this together,” Yuu interrupted his boyfriend, and Kouyou instantly went silent hearing the slight scolding tone in the raven’s voice. “No matter what the problem is, we will be solving it together from now on. If you feel jealous, I’ll try and do anything I can to make you feel better and help you deal with it.”

That was… if they really survived the storm and stayed together.

“But… Yuu...”

“Just shut up, Kou.”

A soft chuckle could be heard from Kouyou and Yuu froze, startled by the blond’s reaction to his outburst.

“It’s strange how I can see you’re just as passionate when it comes to me, but somehow I only noticed it once it was subjected to someone else.”

Yuu’s face felt hot in a familiar way, hearing Kouyou’s gentle words and he turned into a flustered mess a moment later.

“I thought… you already knew how passionate I am about you.”

“It’s only been a week, how could I forget?”

Yuu’s breath hitched upon realizing what his boyfriend was referring to, and it didn’t go unnoticed by the blond on the other end of the line who sighed deeply before speaking up again.

“I need to touch you. You have no idea how much I miss you, even now. Not being able to touch you or kiss you for a week almost killed me. I was so stupid.”

“Kou…” Yuu’s voice was shaky as he tried to speak, but Kouyou quickly cut him off with his next words.

“I want to make love to you again, kitten.”

The heat warming up Yuu’s face spread to the rest of his body instantly, Kouyou’s words causing the raven’s lower regions to respond to the senior’s eagerness. Yuu closed his eyes, remembering how calm and protected he felt that day, when he finally became one with his boyfriend, and smiled gently into the darkness of the room. “I want the same, Kou...”

Yuu was able to hear another deep sigh emitting from his boyfriend, and couple of seconds passed before he spoke again.

“Are you going to be at home tomorrow?”

“Yeah.” Yuu frowned at that, startled by the sudden change of topic. Or was it… did Kouyou just…

“I’ll sneak out and come and see you.”

“But… what about your father…” Yuu was panicking again as he tried to interject, but Kouyou was quick to silence him.

“Don’t worry about him. Even if he’s against us now, I’ll make him accept it. I won’t let him interfere with our relationship.”

“Are you sure…” Yuu was afraid, now, despite the confidence in his boyfriend’s words.

“Trust me. We’re two against one.”

That made Yuu smile even wider than before. Kouyou was right. They were in this together, and together they would fight.

“I love you so much, Kou.”

“I love you too, kitten."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yayyy go gaybies


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh wow sorry for the delay. i really have no excuse lol i believe it'll be worth the wait though... ;))))

Akira couldn’t take his eyes off of the troubled frame of the diva sitting on the couch next to him. Takanori seemed shaken after everything that had happened with their friends, and the senior thought his little blond would break at some point, and—even though it didn’t happen—there was still a threat which lingered in the thick air surrounding them. The younger boy had a strong aura, never dissipating no matter how intimidating the situation was, but this time Akira could swear he saw a glimpse of hesitation in those beautiful orbs of Takanori’s which he no longer tried to avoid. The way the shorter one had his eyebrows furrowed in a frown, worry splattered on his face which never melted away even after everyone had gone to bed, had proved to the senior that something was definitely going wrong with his friend tonight. And it almost broke Akira’s heart to watch the little blond sit in silence, sipping from whatever was left of his drink as he drowned in his thoughts further, not granting the senior with a sliver of his attention.

The silence between them almost felt unbearable, but Akira knew he couldn’t leave things as they were, since neither of them were going anywhere tonight and the older student couldn’t deny the cravings in his heart.

He wanted to help Takanori; wanted to soothe him, or simply be a shoulder for the younger to cry on.

“Taka.”

“Hmm.” The diva didn’t even lift his gaze, but Akira wasn’t ready to give up so easily.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Takanori shrugged his shoulders and still didn’t grant his senior a glance. For some reason, Akira almost felt nosy as he made another attempt to talk with the little blond.

“I can see something is troubling you.”

“Aren’t you troubled, too?” Takanori finally lifted his gaze and turned to face his senior, while for the first time, Akira felt afraid; not by this tiny diva, but by his own emotions.

“I’m worried about our friends, yes, but something tells me it’s something else.”

Takanori sighed then, but despite the way he averted his gaze and avoided the senior’s eyes, he still held a certain confidence which calmed Akira a little. The boy wasn’t losing it—he just needed time to cope.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.” Akira decided to press further, and it took a short moment for the blond to part his lips and start talking.

“Are you sure you want to listen?”

“We agreed to be friends, and I stand by that. I’m here for you, Taka.”

Takanori chuckled at that, but in no way was it malicious or of mocking nature. The senior knew he had finally cracked the surface of that confidence the diva held and simply waited for the other to speak, not daring to push further and have the boy run away with his answers.

“Years ago… there was that day when Yuu came to school, and he had a bruise on his cheek.” The shorter blond took a breath and Akira remained silent in his seat, startled by the sudden revelation of Yuu’s past. “He told me his father left and never spoke to me about him again. As I think about it now… I think I know what happened, and I just… feel so guilty, because he was going through something horrible and was completely alone. Since Kouyou’s father and his reaction, I can’t help but… hurt inside. I was Yuu’s best friend and didn’t help him. I was his best friend, and yet he knew he couldn’t trust me with his secret, he knew I would betray him… and in the end, he was right.”

“You were kids,” Akira defended, feeling a heavy sadness beginning to suffocate him. “You’re making up for it now. You’re trying your best to help them. To help Yuu.”

“What if I’m too weak?” Takanori’s voice was as low as a whisper as he spoke, ringing many alarms in the senior’s head. “I don’t want to go back to that state again. I like who I am. I don’t want to feel scared. No one has the right to make me feel that. I loved Yuu so much and almost lost him because of that. I don’t want to lose someone close to me again...”

“Stop overthinking.” Akira didn't hesitate to interrupt the broken boy again and he couldn’t help it as he slowly moved, wrapping an arm around Takanori’s shoulders and pulling him close. The warmth emitting from the smaller body pressed against his served as a soothing touch to the sadness in the senior’s chest and the blond in his hold shivered, but didn't pull away.

“I told you… to not touch me until you decide what you feel.” Takanori whispered then, and Akira couldn’t help but smirk at the lame attempt the diva made to deny his advances.

“Just shut up, Taka.”

The younger student didn’t move, nor say anything this time, simply remaining close to his senior and feeding off of his warmth. Akira didn’t let him delve into those thoughts of his again that night, his gentle hold comforting the small diva until he finally relaxed and slipped into a soft slumber, resting his head on Akira’s chest.

~ 

Yuu returned home around noon the next day. Kouyou had managed to soothe him enough with their call, and the raven slept in peace until that same blond president woke him up with texts filled with affections and cute advances.

As soon as the raven was home, though, ridding himself of his shoes at the front door, his mother emerged from the kitchen, glaring at him with worry.

She was silently asking for an explanation and Yuu hesitated as he tried to find the right words for his apology. He couldn’t settle for anything better than a simple “I’m sorry,” which made her frown deepen instantly.

“What’s going on? Your eyes are red. You’ve been crying, haven’t you,” the woman stated rather than asked.

“I…” Yuu tried to speak, but his confidence in defending himself diminished in seconds. He couldn’t tell her about Kouyou’s father... not yet. Not until he and Kouyou had a discussion themselves. He did owe her some sort of explanation regarding his weird behavior, though, especially since Kouyou was supposed to arrive later the same day. She knew they were on a break, which was probably scaring her and messing with her imagination as well.

“I was with Kouyou. We… made up.” He responded meekly and the woman sighed.

“I knew something was up the moment you texted me about staying over at Yutaka’s place.”

“I’m sorry I worried you...” Yuu felt guilty lying to his mother now. It wasn't the biggest lie he had ever told, as it was mostly the truth with a few aspects bended and transformed here and there…

“We have to better our communication, Yuu. You can’t worry me like this. Next time you call me and explain everything, you got that young man?” She was angry despite that he had texted her the previous night, and that made the raven look down at his feet with a face shrouded in guilt.

“I’m sorry, mom…”

The woman sighed again, and Yuu waited for a couple more seconds to pass before he looked up at her, seeing that she wasn’t glaring at him, but smiling gently instead.

“You two are fine?” 

“Yeah.” Yuu made a slight attempt to smile back at her. “I... actually allowed myself to invite him over. Is that okay?”

“Yeah.” She nodded and then made a few steps towards the living room. “I’ll figure out your punishment later. Plus, I want to know what exactly happened, but for today I’ll leave you be.”

And then Yuu smiled wide and genuinely for the first time in a very long time. She was still furious, but she was also the most understanding, caring parent anyone could ever dream of. Yuu quickly returned to his room then, Kiko meowing ecstatically from where she was laying on his bed and the boy approached her, hugging her tightly in a gentle embrace. Her fur served as a big comfort to his heartbreak as he sat at the edge of his bed, cuddling her for the next couple of minutes as he tried to clear his mind from his nightmares and focus on the one thing that was still keeping him together… Kouyou.

The blond was supposed to arrive in a couple of hours… maybe, which meant Yuu didn’t have much time to prepare, but he still had enough time to take a shower at least. He knew he looked ridiculous right now, what with his huge eyebags and red, tear-stained cheeks, but he still wanted to make an attempt and look at least moderately beautiful for his boyfriend. Especially after everything they had been through lately. He wanted to make Kouyou happy and since the blond favoured his hair so much, maybe he could do something special and make it look presentable, too. 

Yuu left Kiko on his bed and then headed to the bathroom. He tried to be fast as he washed his body and hair with care, exiting the room in record time. Despite how much effort he had put into choosing some black jeans and shirt to put on, he still felt like… it wasn’t enough.

He couldn’t delve much into it, though, because he still had to dry his hair and style it into something beautiful. 

Kouyou was so gorgeous that Yuu felt almost intimidated and not worthy of him in some kind of odd and peculiar way, which he still couldn’t understand.

He was almost done when the doorbell reached the raven’s ears and his heart halted in its tracks, making him leave everything and storm to the front door. His mother didn’t miss the opportunity to peek at him curiously from the living room, Yuu’s cheeks turning red even before opening the door. 

As soon as Yuu saw the beautiful face of his senior, he felt strong… and so, so relieved, despite the fear that had been his constant companion since yesterday’s events. He pulled Kouyou inside the house and hugged him tightly, circling his arms around the blond’s strong shoulders, clinging to him like he was his salvation from everything. And Kouyou accepted him in his arms as they held each other for a minute, holding their breaths. Kouyou was here, and the raven wasn’t afraid anymore as he relished in the warmth of Kouyou’s body until the blond was finally pulling away. 

Yuu smiled, looking up at his boyfriend as he grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards his room at the end of the corridor.

Once they were inside, the raven closed the door and turned around, looking up at his senior again only to find him staring back with half-lidded eyes and parted lips which sent chills down Yuu’s spine.

Before he knew it, the raven was grabbed by the wrists and yanked onto his bed, his mind going blank as Kouyou crawled on top of him, claiming his lips in a passionate kiss a second later. Yuu was obedient and immediately let his senior push his hips between his legs, holding each other again as Kouyou deepened their kiss, his tongue dominating the raven’s mouth as it explored every inch of it.

Yuu accepted every ministration of Kouyou’s, kissing passionately until the blond trailed his lips away from Yuu’s mouth and down the boy’s pale neck. The kisses that followed were hungry and desperate as Kouyou allowed himself to taste Yuu’s skin, nibbling and licking at it violently, coaxing the raven into a moan which the boy managed to silence, biting his lip harshly.

“Kou…” Yuu was able to breathe out, despite that Kouyou’s mouth was still ravaging his skin, his strong arms trailing down the curves of the raven’s thighs as they convulsed around the older boy’s hips.

Yuu was falling deep into this passion and was ready to unleash his own desires when a soft meow reached his ears. He quickly tossed his head to the side, the blond locks of his boyfriend ruffling and tickling his chin in the most intimate way possible before the raven was able to focus Kiko’s outlines watching them from the desk.

“Kouyou…” he barely cried out as the blond bit him harsher than before, the pain almost blurring his vision. “Ngh… Kiko...”

“Leave her…” and as the blond released Yuu’s neck from his lips in order to almost growl those words out, he was quick to raise and flip Yuu onto his stomach, making the raven yelp and cry out as soon as he felt Kouyou’s body crashing down on him all over again.

“Mom’s home...”

“We’ll be quiet,” Kouyou whispered in the raven’s ear, his hot breath brushing the strands of hair falling at the side of Yuu’s already-sweaty face.

And then Yuu bit his lips again in a desperate attempt to silence himself, because Kouyou was moving his hips, pressing his erection hard against the raven’s ass. The ministration sent jolts of lust and uncontrollable desire to Yuu’s groin, enough for the boy to realize they were far too deep to stop now. The time apart was too much even for Yuu to bear and he parted his lips in a whisper as he managed to remember one last detail before they lost themselves in the moment completely.

“L.. lock the door…”

Already so engrossed in the feeling of touching Yuu in such sinful ways he's been deprived of for so long, it took Kouyou's mind a moment or two to register that Yuu was trying to communicate with him through barely coherent sentences. Upon understanding the comment that Yuu had practically only let out as a gasp, Kouyou was growling against Yuu's ear again and giving his ass a particularly harsh grind in anger of the interruption—but in order for there to be no more, the senior knew he had to comply and go lock the door. Not before huskily whispering something to Yuu, though, which made the raven shudder underneath him.

"Wouldn't want your mom to walk in when I'm fucking you until you can't walk anymore, right? When I'm eating your ass until you're squirming and begging for my cock, or when I'm fucking you hard against the wall or bent over a desk..."

"K-Kou, ah, g-go...!" Yuu instantly became a flushed, gasping mess at Kouyou's dirty envisions, to which the blond smirked above him at the power he so easily held over this beautiful boy.

"Keep your voice down, kitten," Kouyou teased, knowing that it was probably an impossible feat to request—but that made the sex all the more exciting.

Reluctantly, Kouyou did manage to peel himself away from Yuu's back and force his away over to the door, stumbling as he did so. He made sure to let Kiko out before locking it, and once he did, he was back on Yuu like a predator on its prey, almost crushing the smaller boy again as Kouyou couldn't help but to lay his front against Yuu's back and grind his undeniably hard cock against the dark fabric of the raven's jeans.

"Your ass looks so fucking good in these jeans, did you wear them just for me?" The senior growled again before biting down on the muscle between Yuu's neck and shoulder, eliciting a small cry from him which only made Kouyou smirk against the skin and bite harder, intent on leaving a mark that would be one amongst many tonight. "Although, I quite like your ass when you aren't wearing them..."

"Mmph—!" Yuu muffled against the sheets of his bed at Kouyou's shameless dirty sayings, and the sounds of the muffled moans were absolute bliss to the senior blond's ears.

"You even did your hair up nice for me. That's too bad, because you know it'll just get ruined in the end." As Kouyou said this his voice became muffled as well thanks to how he had moved to press his face in the freshly washed, freshly done up locks of raven hair that he loved so damn much, Yuu's signature floral scent sending him into a hot, dazed mess as a result of what felt like withdrawal the past week, and judging by Yuu's moans and the heat of his body, he had experienced the same thing—which meant that Kouyou wasn't going to hold back tonight under any circumstances.

Kouyou's next sentence came out in what could only be described as a snarl as his patience had already been worn thin, "can't fucking wait anymore. I need to taste you."

"Wh— oh!" Yuu's sentence was cut off by Kouyou flipping him onto his back again, not wasting any time in meeting his lips for a brief, messy kiss and tasting Yuu's sweet breath before Kouyou knew it still wasn't enough. He needed more, so much more, and he'd get it. Yuu's gasps against his lips simply spurred him on further, Kouyou's tongue invasively finding Yuu's own within his mouth and playing with it before a moment before the senior was panting and pulling his face back from Yuu's. The raven stared up at him with a flushed face and lustful eyes, his lips parted and silently communicating with Kouyou the desires that they mutually shared.

"You have no idea how many times I've thought about this in the past week. How many times I craved the feeling of your body against mine, your moans in my ear and your tight ass around my cock... you have no idea how mad you drive me, kitten." Kouyou's voice was low as he hastily undid the button of Yuu's jeans before hooking his fingers under the waistband and yanking them down Yuu's hips without notice, earning a yelp from the boy as he was soon left in nothing but cute little black boxer briefs that hugged the curves of his ass deliciously. Kouyou tossed the jeans aside carelessly, soon focusing his attention on those smooth, pale thighs that were such a treat to Kouyou's hands and eyes, fuck, he couldn't get enough...

But other matters had to be tended to first: matters that included Kouyou ridding himself of his own pants, leaving him in boxers, although he made sure to retrieve the lube and condoms he had stashed in his pocket before tossing the fabric away like he had Yuu's.

"You like what you see, don't you?" Kouyou remarked when he noticed Yuu lock eyes on the major tent he had going on in his boxers, and the raven bit his lip and actually nodded shyly. The act made Kouyou smirk before he was grabbing at the hems of his own shirt and swiftly pulling it up over his head, leaving him in nothing but his boxers that really didn't leave too much to imagination. Again, Yuu shamefully gazed at Kouyou's shapely torso, his eyes tracing every indented line and curve the senior possessed—and as much as Kouyou wanted to boast or tease the raven for it, he needed to finish undressing Yuu as well.

Within a matter of seconds Kouyou had managed to rid Yuu of his shirt, leaving the boy bare aside from his underwear and exposed for Kouyou to worship. The senior started by leaning his body toward enough to latch his mouth onto the raven's flat chest, which was smooth and supple to the touch. He paid close attention to the pink nipples, teasingly licking them and nipping them and earning needy gasps from his boyfriend. He let their clothed erections rub against one another as he did so, creating pleasurable friction that the both of them craved.

He moved on to nuzzling against Yuu's smooth stomach soon after, the golden strands of his hair falling and tickling the skin—but Yuu's erection poking at him was far too distracting for him to be able to focus, and he figured that Yuu was just impatient as Kouyou was.

And so he ridded them both of their remaining underwear, Yuu's cock springing free and standing against his stomach as it already leaked pre-cum over his soft skin, while Kouyou's was big and curving up in the air in a way that Yuu just couldn't take his eyes off of.

"You want it?" Kouyou sneered, giving himself a long, lingering stroke as he kneeled between Yuu's quivering, spread legs. "You'll get it in your ass soon. But first," he cut off, "you're going to suck it."

At the command, Yuu was already moving to get on his knees, but Kouyou stopped him. "Ah-ah, not like that. I was thinking something along the lines of this..."

Before Yuu could move again, Kouyou had already crawled on top of him in a 69 position, with his pelvis hovering above Yuu's head, his cock dangling down in Yuu's face.

"What's with the hesitation? I said suck it, kitten," Kouyou ordered in a snarl, and almost instantly he felt that familiar, oh so pleasurable heat engulf his erection.

It took Kouyou a moment to ground himself before he was leaning down to lower his head between Yuu's thighs, kissing and nibbling them as he went down, before he made it to where he'd been so set on ending up all along.

Waiting for him between those round, squishy cheeks was Yuu's cute, pink little hole, just waiting to be stretched, filled and pleasured.

Yuu took Kouyou’s length into his mouth as soon as he felt the senior’s hands on his buttocks, his eyes growing teary from the pleasurable, sudden sensation of Kouyou’s licks against his entrance which followed a second later.

Kouyou’s member was already pulsating against his tongue as the raven moved his lips along the shaft in small, gentle movements, coating the sensitive skin with saliva. The bitterness of Kouyou’s precum was stronger than before, but the boy licked it away carefully as he gulped hungrily. One of his hands trailed up Kouyou’s muscular thigh and circled around it for support, while the other worked on stroking the base of the blond’s cock sensually. 

The raven was feeling dizzy, now, his boyfriend tickling and teasing his sphincters, coaxing him into soft, muffled moans. His full lips trembled against the flesh still buried in his mouth and Yuu sucked lustfully at the head, his tongue carefully tracing its curve as he pulled away.

“K… Kou...” the boy moaned softly, his breath tickling the hot skin of Kouyou’s member against his lips as the blond nibbled softly at the flesh surrounding the sensitive entrance, penetrating the soft circle of muscles with his tongue a second later.

The way Kouyou’s drops of saliva trickled down the raven’s crack sent Yuu into a whimpering mess as he took his boyfriend’s cock into his mouth again, sucking at it aggressively this time.

He was totally dazed and completely lost in this moment, his mind registering only the hot body hovering above him. Kouyou was so perfect with every lick and sinful ministration in which he delivered to the raven’s backside, Yuu couldn’t help but growl and writhe underneath, ruffling the sheets of his bed. He had imagined them together in lewd positions before, pleasuring each other in all kinds of sinful ways, but his imagination never went as far as to think about them like this. Kouyou’s eagerness and harshness felt new to the raven, genuinely shocking him at first, but he also couldn’t deny how much it excited him. The way Yuu’s body reacted to every dirty word the blond had spat to him was unbearably hot to both of them. Strangely enough, Yuu felt loved and wanted, Kouyou’s eagerness making him feel more aroused than he ever been, and Yuu found that he wanted more of it…  _ needed  _ it. He almost felt shameless and driven enough to ask for it.

But with his mouth as full as ever, the boy simply trembled, showing Kouyou how much he loved their proximity right now, his tongue circling and lapping at the slit every time he had a chance to do so.

It didn’t take long until Kouyou’s low groans reached the raven’s ears and the boy felt the strong, pulsating frictions of the cock in his mouth. It kept growing bigger with each thrust of Yuu’s hand, and the boy felt the painful tension forming in the muscles of his jaw as he tried to keep his teeth away.

Yuu knew Kouyou was barely hanging onto his orgasm now, the raven’s hand moving away from the base stroking the balls and caressing the taint gently pressing at it ever so lightly, as his mouth quickened its pace. 

“Yuu...no.” The blond retracted his mouth from the slippery surface of Yuu’s ass, growling and panting at it, but the shorter boy was too engrossed in his ministrations to even register the sudden loss of Kouyou’s lips against his entrance.

He simply ignored it all, his hand pressing and teasing the taint again, and  _ again… _ his eyes tearing up once more as soon as the head of the blond’s cock hit his throat, making him feel sore and gagged. Kouyou was a whimpering mess above him, his hands grabbing at his boyfriend’s waist as he rose up slightly, bucking his hips.

Yuu noticed when the member convulsed violently against his tongue and the raven was prepared as Kouyou’s seed spilled into his mouth, filling it with its bitter taste as the boy tried to gulp and drink it hungrily.

His hand returned to the base and stroked it, coaxing the blond to moan again and release every last drop of his semen until it overflowed in Yuu’s mouth and the raven failed to take it all in, his gag reflex making him choke and cough, spitting some of the substance out.

The boy was still dazed and drunk with lust and he barely moved as Kouyou turned around, hovering over him. The blond’s fingers tangled and pulled at his hair a second later, locking their eyes together as he stared at the raven with dark desire.

Kouyou’s seed was dripping down Yuu’s jaw as he traced the liquid with his fingers, the cum quickly reaching the black strands of hair splayed out under Yuu’s head.

“Oh, fuck, Yuu...” the gorgeous blond was cursing under his breath, and Yuu felt proud of himself seeing how spent and disoriented his boyfriend was… and it was all because of him. “You look so fucking delicious…” 

And then, without any hesitation, the raven bit his lip and licked at it slowly, not breaking their eye contact as he did so, watching how Kouyou’s eyes changed their shade instantly.

Kouyou's breath hitched at the debauched sight of his boyfriend, and he couldn't suppress the way his eyes narrowed when Yuu had the audacity to lap at some of the cum rimming his lips, staining the tip of his tongue white as he swirled it around before retracting it back into his soiled mouth. The raven still hadn't broken eye contact with the blond senior and Kouyou was already losing it, his breaths becoming hurried as his dark eyes burned down into Yuu's dangerously lustful ones.

And then Kouyou's mouth was taking the form of a smirk as an idea formed in his mind as a result of Yuu's daring stunt. "If you're so eager to make me cum like that, you must be eager to to get fucked. Finger yourself and show me how much you want it."

Almost as soon as the words left the senior's lips, what once were orbs filled with playful desires had fallen into shock, before the rest of the raven's face had followed suit and flushed red with similar surprise as well as what Kouyou knew to be a form of humiliation, or embarrassment—which was exactly the reaction he'd been hoping for, and to his satisfaction, Yuu began tripping over his already incoherent attempts at sentences, miserably failing to convey his apprehension verbally.

"K-k-kouyou, wh— you... I..."

"Hush." The senior was quick to save his boyfriend from breaking down completely, although he absolutely raved internally at seeing the younger boy so absolutely dismantled as he tried to process what had just been commanded of him. "Kitten... show me exactly what you do when you pleasure yourself in private."

The nickname followed by more lewd orders had Yuu visibly affected again, his breath hitching as he avoided Kouyou's heavy gaze boring down into him. But the sound of Kouyou popping open the nearby bottle of lube had Yuu jerking his head back with widened eyes, and only then did he manage to open his mouth to speak somewhat improperly again, quiet as he did so. "You really...? But... I..."

"But nothing," Kouyou said lowly, shoving the bottle into Yuu's empty hand before stalking away from the raven slowly, leaving him laying on his back on the bed without the senior hovering above him anymore. "With your back against the headboard. Get to it."

Still looking apprehensive, Yuu did. He had scooted back to rest against the headboard comfortably, his face tense and his eyes unable to meet Kouyou's as they continued to burn into his skin, studying every move of Yuu's body that he could catch, focusing on how his lithe, completely exposed form moved, how he carried himself and how he reacted when he was finally spreading his legs slightly. Kouyou was kneeling a little ways away, but moved closer to get a better look at the pink hole, still lathered with his own saliva and just barely visible between Yuu's spread, squishy cheeks. 

Kouyou watched as Yuu sighed, the sound of his breath quivering as he squeezed some lube onto one of his middle fingers. Kouyou's own breath hitched in anticipation for what was next, and he didn't speak to urge the shy raven on—he merely scrutinized him with his dark eyes, and as Yuu looked up to meet them, Kouyou grinned when the boy lowered his lubed finger down to prod at his hole, rubbing the finger through the cleft and flinching at the cold temperature. 

"That's right. Keep going," Kouyou murmured in a husky, desire-ridden voice as he observed Yuu, taking in all of his actions and smirking at just how easily Yuu had submitted to Kouyou and would continue to submit. The raven had squeezed his eyes shut, biting his lip as he continued to slip his finger between his cheeks, rubbing at the sensitive surface skin before letting the tip of it prod at his pink hole and even breach its the circular muscles there, although minimally at first. He was working slowly, clearly doing it to keep Kouyou on edge and keep him focused on the show that the raven was putting on for him—and it was working. The blond's breath hitched at everything Yuu did, every subtle moan that left his full lips and every time he would threaten to stick his finger inside of himself once and for all...

"Fuck," Kouyou cursed, just barely loud enough for the both of them to hear. "You're so hot..." Despite the fact that Kouyou had already cum, his cock was becoming lively again, twitching and throbbing as he resisted the urge to touch it; he didn't need to, not when it was sporting such a reaction all on its own as a result of Yuu's little show—and the raven hadn't even gotten to the best part yet. Kouyou was getting impatient. "Stick it in, Yuu... finger yourself like you do when you're in private. Show me what you do to pleasure yourself."

The senior made sure his voice was low enough to be commanding, despite how it trembled through the force of his pure lust dripping for Yuu at that moment. With a shaky inhale, Yuu was easily obliging, now slipping his his finger in up to the first knuckle with a gasp. Intently, the intimidating senior crawled closer, letting his hands rest on the knees of Yuu's spread legs as he forced them apart further in order to see Yuu's hole engulf the finger hungrily. It made Kouyou's dick swell harder as he realized it would be his cock in there before long, and that thought turned his eyes dark once more.

"More... god, Yuu, I can't stand you teasing me like this," Kouyou growled, his fingers digging into the skin of Yuu's knees, and Yuu was nearly whining, now, inserting his finger deeper as per the blond's command. The pink rim took him in so easily, the muscles stretched around the intrusion like it was nothing...

And then Yuu started to pull the finger out before thrusting it in slowly until it was fully submerged in his body, sending a fire burning in Kouyou's abdomen as he watched, not allowing himself to miss a single detail of what was being done. The raven writhed, his back arching as Kouyou guessed he had begun to tease his prostate, as well.

"So this is what you do. What about your thoughts, kitten? What dirty things do you think about when you're masturbating like this?" Kouyou looked up through the sweaty strands of his golden hair to see Yuu gasp at his words, no doubt because of the shameless manner they had been spoken in. Perfect. "Tell me everything."

Yuu could only manage a stutter as his finger picked up its pace inside of himself as it thrusted, before he was letting his index finger begin to squeeze past the outer ring of muscle and insert itself in beside his middle. The extra stretch had him gasping again.

"I... I— I thought..." Kouyou raised an eyebrow as he waited for Yuu to continue, "thought about you..."

"What about me did you think about, Yuu? What did you imagine me doing to you?" The senior wasn't going to quit digging until he got what he had asked for, and if Yuu required that extra shove to get going, Kouyou would gladly give it to him.

To Kouyou's satisfaction, the raven was parting his lips to speak once more, albeit in between moans as his ass was now housing two of his fingers, stretching himself in preparation for the senior's cock. "I thought of you fingering me... I thought of you fucking me... nngh..."

As the words left Yuu's mouth, the boy apparently swallowing some of his pride and giving in to the senior blond's non-negotiable advances, Kouyou was grinning and his breaths picked up in pace. "Tell me more." 

"Ah, Kouuu..."

"Yuu, I want to hear it all. Tell me." As he said this, Kouyou was jerking at Yuu's knees where he was holding them, and Yuu moaned again when the harsh action seemed to spur him on further, Kouyou noticing that his fingers were now thrusting faster and scissoring, occasionally making contact with his prostate. He was soon adding a third.

"I imagined you... ahh, I imagined your cock instead of m-my fingers... imagined how good you would feel inside me... how your dick feels when I clench around it, how you'd grab my ass and abuse it... fuck...!"

"Holy..." Did Yuu really just...?

"I imagine how hard you'd fuck me in different positions, like over my desk, or—mmm—against the wall..."

"Enough."

"I fingered myself to the thought of you so many times, god..."

The deep inhales that Kouyou had resorted to taking when Yuu was speaking so sensually and so shamelessly proved to be futile in keeping the blond from snapping. Yuu was just too fucking much, and Kouyou couldn't take it—especially when, right at the end, he had the audacity to look Kouyou dead in the eye…

"Enough!"

The blond leaned forward, his face barely an inch away from Yuu's, and the senior took the raven's chin between his fingers as he steadied it so that Yuu couldn't escape his starving gaze. "Bend the fuck over your desk over there, and you'll get what you fantasized about. Now."

Yuu’s eyes widened at the way his boyfriend was so bold and arrogant, commanding and bossing him around as if the raven had no other option but comply. And yet, the boy enjoyed every moment of it, catching sight of the spark in Kouyou’s eyes as he spoke, his senior losing patience slowly yet agonisingly enough to arouse Yuu even more. Kouyou’s passion used to excite the boy before, but now Yuu had discovered this new side of him, and the raven was slowly growing intoxicated by it... craving and lusting after it. 

He felt shameless but embarrassed all at the same time, realising how lewd their position was and how immodest his fantasies were as he had envisioned Kouyou thrusting inside of him more than once in the past. And now, after hearing his boyfriend approving one of his most vivid invisions, Yuu was afraid and embarrassed of himself, despite how much he wanted it to happen. 

“K… Kou...” he managed to breathe out, Kouyou’s smirk growing as he waited for the raven to continue, “m-mom is… still in the house…” 

“You’ll just have to make sure to stay quiet as I thrust into you, then.” 

The raven’s cock was already twitching with precum leaking all over his stomach and Yuu gasped again as he felt Kouyou’s fingers circling around his wrist, withdrawing his hand and the digits which were still buried deep inside of him. His insides felt empty and the pink entrance twitched invitingly, making Kouyou lick his lips as he stared at it with a look that the raven had never seen on his face before; it frightened him.

As well as excited him.

“Let’s test it out, shall we?” Kouyou released Yuu’s chin from his hold, grabbing at the younger’s thigh instead, keeping the boy steady as his other hand dived between the spread legs, penetrating the slippery ring of muscles with all three fingers at once. Despite the generous amount of lubricant splattered all over his genitals, Yuu was able to feel the gritted thrust of skin against skin inside of him and his mind couldn’t react on time as the moan which escaped his lips was loud and full of lust. 

“Kou… _ agh!” _

“Shh…” Kouyou hushed, bending over and nearing his lips close enough to the boy’s ear, his breath tickling Yuu’s sweaty skin, making him quiver slightly underneath. 

And then the blond didn’t hesitate before moving his fingers inside of Yuu, brushing at the boy’s prostate teasingly, making him squirm and writhe as he tried to keep quiet this time. 

Yuu was biting at his lips harshly, almost bruising them, but that wasn't enough for his boyfriend who parted his lips as he continued torturing him with words instead.

“Keep quiet, kitten. No one is allowed to hear those moans of yours but me; no one is allowed to fuck this cute hole of yours but me.”

There was another prod at Yuu’s prostate as the blond’s fingers moved inside of him again, the raven squirming in pleasurable agony. His hands grabbed at the headboard behind him and he squeezed it tight, the storm forming in his abdomen clouding his mind.

“Shall I make you cum now?” Kouyou kept murmuring into his ear, his teasing fingers making Yuu arch his body beautifully. “And make you pay for making me cum so fast earlier? Or should I fuck you hard until you can’t hold your screams anymore, and let your mom know how impure her son actually is...”

The arousal boiling inside of Yuu was too much for him to bear and, as soon as Kouyou was done talking, the boy was withdrawing his fingers from Yuu’s ass.

The raven was panting erratically as he tried to breathe and regain his consciousness again, while his cock twitched almost painfully hard at this point, still untouched and neglected despite how much it craved attention right now. 

And despite how terrifying Kouyou’s threats were, Yuu wasn’t afraid and felt hotter and even hornier than before.

“Come on, kitten.” The blond smirked and his hands yanked at Yuu’s wrists again, pulling him up from the bed before bending him over the desk not too far away.

The desk didn't rock under Yuu's weight, despite how harshly Kouyou had forced him down onto it. The senior was satisfied with the discovery as he knew it meant that as long as Yuu kept quiet verbally, they wouldn't get caught as the desk wouldn't make any noises that would give them away.

Hopefully.

As soon as Yuu's posterior had become flush with the surface of his desk, Kouyou was positioning himself behind him and letting the tip of his erect cock slip into the raven's slippery cleft after he'd slipped a condom on. He grinned when he felt Yuu's body spasm at the sudden action, and the raven would writhe whenever the senior's dick came too close to his already-stretched and prepared asshole. Yuu's breaths had quickened, as did Kouyou's, and the senior lowered his body so that it fit against Yuu's back as he continued to tease him with his cock.

"Is this how you imagined yourself? Bent over like this with your ass on display for me?" At the blond's shameless words, Yuu was gasping again and spreading his legs wider apart.

"Y-yes," he confessed, his speech distorted by his heavy panting. Kouyou could feel the raven perspiring against his chest, he could feel how hot to the touch his skin was; Kouyou's burned the same, and he felt the overall heat of the atmosphere weighing down on him as he remained atop of Yuu, while Yuu had grasped the edge of the desk with his hands, fingers curling around it with his knuckles almost turning white. The younger boy's face was flushed red and his lips were parted so deliciously, Kouyou licked his own in feral desire—he was hungry, fuck, _ so hungry _ for this, and the raven's scent was driving him absolutely mad. The natural floral scent combined with the smell of sex and heat was almost enough to make the blond drool.

Before he could, however, he was removing his body from Yuu's, placing his large, veiny hands atop Yuu's soft, much more feminine ones at the edge of the desk, in order to hoist his torso up.

"I can't fucking wait anymore," Kouyou growled, looking down at the sight of a beautifully debauched Yuu, and he knew it would only get worse from that point on—he hadn't even stuck his cock inside of the raven yet, and the boy was already reacting like this... "I need to fuck you."

"Kou—ah!"

"Quiet," the senior ordered, watching intently as Yuu arched his back in anticipation when Kouyou had started to press the tip of his erection against the raven's asshole without warning, "You were the one worried about your mom catching us, weren't you? Don't be the one to give us away."

"B-but Kouyouuu, nngh, ahh!"

"Enough."

"Mmph!" Kouyou had to resort to drastic measures, apparently, because it seemed as though Yuu wasn't going to comply to the blond's verbal commands. How could he, when the head of the senior's thick cock had started to breach the tight, muscular rings of his asshole? How could he, when Kouyou's deep, hot breaths were sounding above him as he took the throbbing intrusion in with ease?

Because of it all, Kouyou had stuck his two first fingers into Yuu's mouth—whether they were they ones he had prepared Yuu with, he wasn't sure, but he didn't care—in order to silence the boy as he felt his hips become flush with Yuu's ass, signalling that he had fully sheathed himself within the raven. Yuu almost choked against Kouyou's large fingers, his tongue lapping at them uselessly and his jaw involuntarily chomping down on them, but Kouyou couldn't bring himself to care as long as it kept the boy silent—well, kind of silent, as it appeared that Yuu's muffled moans would still make themselves present when Kouyou pulled his hips back and thrusted in harshly, earning a spasm from the younger boy as well as a cry—although Kouyou's fingers kept the sounds muffled enough that they wouldn't be heard beyond the outer perimeter of Yuu's bedroom.

Probably.

"You act so innocent, but deep down, I know my soft little kitten is a nasty whore. Isn't that right?" Kouyou snarled, and instantly he felt Yuu's hot breath come out in a rush against the fingers that were still in his mouth. When Kouyou gave a particularly harsh thrust, the front of his hips slapping loudly against the fat of Yuu's ass cheeks, the raven was nodding and whining incoherently through his muffled cries.

"I-I-I a-am...!"

"You love to get fucked roughly like this, hmm?" Kouyou leaned his body down against Yuu's again as he whispered the dirty words against his boyfriend's ear, Yuu's body quivering in response. "I know you do. I can see you leaking." Truth be told, Yuu's cock was dangling uselessly between his legs, and it was dripping a steady stream of pre-cum onto the floor. The sight made the senior scoff as he continued to thrust into Yuu, lifting his torso back up in order to get better leverage—but then an idea of how to get even more stability struck him.

With his free hand, Kouyou laced his fingers within the long strands of Yuu's silky hair, merely feeling the beautiful locks he loved so dearly, letting them fall through his digits and over the top of his hand—before he was taking a bunch in his fist and giving a quick tug; not too hard, as he merely wanted to test the waters first, but when Yuu was gasping again and leaning his ass back in order to take more of Kouyou's cock in, meeting his thrusts in time, the senior felt daring enough to pull harder at the raven hair as he rode Yuu out against the desk, panting hard as he did so.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, Yuu...!"

"Kouuuuu..."

"So fucking close, god..." Kouyou continued to growl out words as he panted and thrusted quicker, feeling the heat within his abdomen reaching a heat he would soon not be able to contain, and the sight of Yuu now, his beautiful beau, so utterly and completely indecent as he took in the senior's cock, meeting his every thrust and moaning against Kouyou's fingers still in his mouth. The way his ass rippled against the force of Kouyou's hips, how his back arched and how the strands of his raven hair fell over Kouyou's large hand as he continued to pull...

It was too fucking much, and with low, animalistic grunts, Kouyou was gasping and allowing his hips to spasm as his cock emptied its load inside of Yuu, the organ throbbing as the raven's muscles clenched around it, milking it for all it was worth—and when Kouyou reached down to give Yuu's own cock a couple of strokes, he was reaching his high, as well, staining the floor beneath them with semen as he came, his body writhing and quivering and his jaw biting down hard on Kouyou's fingers—and yet the senior still didn't retract them, because Yuu was crying out so loudly, the blond was worried that, even with his fingers in the raven's mouth, the sound might reach the younger boy's mother's ears.

"Yuu..."

"Kouyouuuu," Yuu moaned breathlessly in response, Kouyou collapsing down onto his back as he slowed the pace of his hips when his cock was finally spent, "so... so good..."

"Amazing," Kouyou corrected, panting heavily as he rested his head upon Yuu's shoulder. "It was amazing."

"Amazing," Yuu mimicked, his eyes fluttering shut as he fought for breath. "I love you, Kouyou..."

And just like that, Kouyou felt like he was on top of the entire world. "I love you too, Yuu."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BUH-BAM


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ao3 fucked up the format of this chapter when i imported it, so i had to manually space all the paragraphs out myself. hope i didn't miss any :///

Yuu was laying atop of Kouyou as he basked into the warmth emitting from his boyfriend. The stillness filling the room felt so soothing to their post orgasmic exhaustion, Yuu listening to Kouyou’s soft breaths as they left his lips and brushed at the strands trembling atop the side of his face. The raven now felt calm and secure in his boyfriend’s arms, their bodies fitting against one another so perfectly, their legs intertwined in a lock which felt unbreakable.

If Yuu was hesitant before, now he was absolutely sure the bond they held was special and meant to be. He wasn’t scared of their tomorrows anymore, nor felt intimidated by Kouyou’s father despite how terrifying that man was with his determination and conviction to separate them. Somehow, the raven knew Kouyou was by his side for a reason. His heart didn’t choose the blond on a whim, but because of something no one other than he possessed; Yuu knew it couldn’t be anything else but Kouyou’s own soul.

Everything the blond was and did had made Yuu’s heart flutter in ways the raven had never felt before. It was so unique that the boy already knew his heart practically belonged to his senior at this point—and he felt content with that thought. I t didn’t feel like a shackle or a tie binding them forcefully together, no—it felt more mystical, filled with strength bound to their hearts and feelings instead.

And when it felt so right and so sacred for them to be holding each other like they were now, Yuu didn’t even realize when a tear rolled down from his eye, making contact with the blond’s neck a second later.

It made Kouyou flinch instantly; his fingers, which rested comfortably on Yuu’s shoulder, trembled.

“Yuu?”

“I’m not crying,” the boy answered, not opening his eyes nor moving from his position, despite how tense Kouyou’s body felt underneath him. “I don't know what that was.”   
Kouyou swallowed hard. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” ”Yuu smiled, burying his head deep into the crook of the blond’s neck, inhaling the delicious cologne Kouyou had always used on the soft skin there; it was tainted with the scents of sweat and sex, and yet it made it smell all that much more  _ Kouyou _ .

“I was rougher this time.” The raven’s smile grew wider, sensing where his boyfriend was going with this. “I couldn’t hold back… I don’t know what’s gotten into me…”

“I’m not complaining.” Yuu cut him off immediately and the boy slowly rose from his position, pushing himself up on his elbows, looking Kouyou straight in the eyes before speaking up again. “You can take me in any way you want. I would never complain.”

The smirk that appeared on Kouyou’s face had Yuu blushing madly again.  “So you liked my dirty talk?”

“Maybe.” Yuu bit his lip and felt Kouyou’s hands traveling down his back until they circled around his waist tightly.

“I like to fuck you from behind...” the blond trailed off while Yuu had closed his eyes again, his nose brushing sensually at Kouyou’s. “That way I can have the perfect view of your ass; sometimes I look at you wearing those jeans and I almost feel like I could orgasm from the sight of your butt in them alone.”

Yuu’s eyes shot open at that, his whole body frozen in its movements as familiar embarrassment washed through him—but a buzzing sound which startled the boys a moment later caused them both to flinch, Yuu breaking their eye contact as he searched for the source of their sudden distraction.

The buzzing continued and Yuu stood up from his boyfriend, getting off the bed and looking around, spotting his phone on the floor next to his ruffled jeans.  There were several messages on the bright display and his breath hitched as soon as he lifted the device and read them all.

Mom: Are you boys alright?

Mom: I prepared dinner.

Mom: Are you hungry now or you would prefer to eat later tonight?

“What is it?” Kouyou rose up from his spot, probably sensing the sudden change in Yuu’s demeanor, and quickly followed suit, standing behind him and perking up at the lit screen of the raven’s phone. “Why is she texting you?”

“She knows, I guess,” Yuu answered, his words followed by a nervous sigh. “I know she understands, but… it just feels weird.”

There was silence after that before Kouyou circled his arms around Yuu’s body, kissing his temple in an attempt to comfort him.

And then Yuu’s mind drifted into another direction, going back to their main problem at hand.  “We should talk to her.”

“About what?” Kouyou squeezed him gently and Yuu trembled in his hold.

“Your father. I haven’t told her anything yet.”

Kouyou quickly released the raven’s body after hearing his words and Yuu turned around, looking up at the senior with serious eyes. “Maybe she could help us.”

“Maybe she could give us advice, but I’d rather not have her talk with him.” Kouyou now looked restless and intimidated, which made Yuu feel uneasy instantly. The raven was quickly averting his gaze before the blond moved his hands to the sides of the shorter boy’s face, locking their gazes together once more. “I talked to my sister and she’ll be visiting soon. I can assure you she’s a much better choice for that. We should still talk to your mom, but we must not involve her further than that. Just trust me.” The determination in Kouyou’s eyes as they bore into Yuu’s was so strong, the boy instantly felt calmer, closing his eyes and enjoying the softness of the blond’s hands.

“Okay.”

After their discussion was over, the boys quickly resorted to taking  _ separate  _ showers—Yuu refusing Kouyou’s idea to take one together, of course. The raven knew he couldn’t trust his boyfriend in something like that and was absolutely adamant on having a shower separately, too afraid that the blond would try and do something sexual—even though Yuu probably wouldn't have minded, if only the house were empty...

But the raven knew his mother’s tolerance had its limits, and having something intimate happen between him and Kouyou in the bathroom was an absolute no-go.

Yuu had taken a shower first and, after slipping into some comfy jeans and a new shirt, the boy left his senior to search for his mother in the rest of the house.

She wasn’t in the living room as he had thought, the boy instead finding her a second later as he finally entered the kitchen. The woman quickly turned around from where she was standing at the stove and smiled at her son.

“Hi, Yuu… where is Kouyou?”

“He’s, uh, taking a shower.”

“I see...” she trailed off as she finished up with the tea she was making and then moved to sit at the table, looking up at her son again, her eyes turning suspicious. “Is he staying over tonight?”

Yuu was still standing near the entrance of the kitchen, not daring to come any closer as the boy couldn’t hide how his mother’s words affected him, his voice slightly stuttering as it left his mouth. “I… I don't know?”

“I won’t ask him to sleep on the sofa again, if that’s what you’re concerned about. It would be pointless.” Her smile was so teasing now, Yuu’s embarrassment grew as the boy finally gathered enough courage to move closer.

“I can help with the table and dishes, Kouyou should be done with his shower soon.” The lame attempt of changing the subject to something less awkward worked, his mother nodding, and Yuu was able to distract her as he helped with the dinner preparations. 

The woman had made pasta again and Yuu’s stomach growled with anticipation, making both of them laugh. It didn’t take long before Kouyou arrived in the kitchen and the three of them sat at the table, indulging in an awkward but casual conversation as they began their dinner. The blond threw a knowing look at Yuu, though, and the raven cleared his throat before changing the subject to a much more unpleasant and disturbing one.

“Mom… Kouyou and I should talk to you about something.”

The tension in the room was borderline painful, much worse than the boy had anticipated, before Yuu’s mother raised an eyebrow at him.

“Alright, I knew it would happen eventually.” Both Yuu and Kouyou looked at her with confused eyes, and the woman let out an exaggerated sigh before speaking up again. “Who’s the bottom?”

Kouyou’s eyebrows furrowed in deeper confusion while Yuu’s face turned bright red, his expression falling into shock, amazed by his mother’s boldness.

“Okay, actually, don’t answer that. Kouyou, please just tell me you use condoms.” 

_ “Mom!!” _ Yuu raised his voice, scolding his parent as he was unable to believe how daring she was, while his boyfriend simply stuttered as he tried to answer her demanding tone.

“I… I use them, of course...”

“Mom, we didn’t want to talk with you about _ this. _ Please.” Yuu rubbed at his temples then, desperately trying to calm his nerves, and the woman snickered at his reaction.

She was such a tease, wasn’t she...

As much as Yuu wanted to be upset with her, he couldn’t; he simply slouched in his chair as he tried to search for the right words and formulate his thoughts in the most appropriate way, as to not hurt or scare her too much.

“Mom...” he began, lowering his gaze and glancing at his palms, which were now laying face-up in his lap. “Kouyou had a fight with his father yesterday. It turns out that he looked into my past.”

The woman had turned silent then, but didn’t comment, despite the small pause her son made. ”He looked into my past and found the reason why we moved. He knows about my orientation and came to our school on Wednesday. He wanted to talk to me about it…”

“That’s why you faked sick on Thursday.” His mother cut him off as she came to the revelation and Yuu glanced up at her, feeling guilty, yet confirming her suspicions with a nod.

“He came again yesterday and picked me up, because… Kouyou had scored really low on his math quiz. He wanted me to check on Kouyou and see why he failed, so I did. But then… his father made some ill comments about me, and Kouyou spilled everything to him—so, bottom line, his dad now knows about us.”

His mother merely stared at him with an unreadable look on her face, unable to respond. Yuu was still in his seat, unmoving and not speaking as he waited for her response, and the boy knew his boyfriend was going through the same right now.

“How bad was it?” the woman asked, turning to Kouyou who flinched slightly in his seat.

“It was pretty bad, actually. He’s very… petty, and snobbish, and… he’s trying to act like a parent, but he doesn’t know shit about me.” The blond explained in a low, agitated voice; Yuu was able to sense the annoyance which burned through Kouyou’s words. “He’s obsessed with our family’s image, so he can’t ground me or stop me from seeing Yuu—but I know he’ll come up with something. I called my sister already and she’ll help; she’s his weakness, so she’ll be able to pacify him.”

“Do you think you’ll be able to protect Yuu from him?”

Yuu was afraid, now, as he threw another scolding look at his mother, but she kept staring at the blond senior with the intimidating eyes only a mother could possess.

“Mom, it doesn’t depend on him...”

“It does.” Kouyou was the one to cut him off this time and the senior licked his lips nervously. “Ms. Shiroyama is right. Dad is powerful and has money. You are the easiest target if he decides to do anything. He can use you against me.”

“He can’t touch me,” the raven scoffed, but was silenced quickly by the serious look on his boyfriend's face.

“If it comes down to it, I’ll talk to your father and try to reason with him.”

“No, Ms. Shiroyama,” Kouyou pleaded, changing his demeanor completely after hearing the woman’s suggestion. “Please, we got this. My sister and I will be able to handle him, I assure you.”

“You are his children,” the woman quickly objected, and Yuu was able to notice the slight irritation which sparked in Kouyou’s eyes. “You’d be surprised how hard it is to convince an adult into changing their…  _ opinion.” _

“Just let me try and handle this on my own first,” Kouyou begged again, and despite the hesitation splattered on the woman’s face, she nodded a second later, silently agreeing to his conditions… for now.

“You’ll have to keep me updated on everything that’s happening from now on.”

Kouyou managed a sigh of relief as he and Yuu finally spilled their situation to Ms. Shiroyama, who, as always, held an aura of protection and acceptance over both boys, for which the blond senior was thankful. He'd never gotten such a thing from his own parents—if he had, he and Yuu wouldn't even be in this mess. But it was what it was, and Kouyou knew that, with Yuu by his side, he could conquer anything.

"We promise, mama," Yuu said, glancing at Kouyou for approval, to which Kouyou returned with a soft smile, reaching over to take hold Yuu's hand on top of the table. He let his thumb stroke over the back of his boyfriend's hand, the pale skin soft to the touch.

"We do. Thank you, Ms. Shiroyama. For everything, really." The smile that the woman returned in exchange for Kouyou's sincere gratitude was enough to make the boy shy his gaze away for a moment, slightly unsure and not used to the amount of compassion he was currently receiving. The concept was so foreign and new, he didn't know what to make of it.

But when Ms. Shiroyama opened her mouth to speak again, Kouyou instantly felt his body relax and his worries melt away for a moment, realizing that maybe, just maybe, he didn't have to be unsure, that he didn't have to feel odd about these newfound feelings. "Kouyou, you're not alone in this. You never will be. I have never seen my son happier than when he's with you. Even when he talks about you, you should see how red he gets—"

"Mom..."

"—and for that I have to thank you. I'll do whatever I can to help you two out whenever you may need it; you boys are strong, I know you are. But sometimes you need a mother's support, and I'll always be here to supply that."

"Miss..."

The woman shook her head, interrupting Kouyou before he could continue. "Oh, just come here, you two." Before Kouyou or Yuu could react, the woman was getting up from her seat and pulling both boys into her loving embrace. She had the same floral scent that Yuu carried, the blond noted, and he closed his eyes for a moment as he relished in the warm feeling of Yuu beside him and the comfort of Ms. Shiroyama.

Kouyou just barely managed to whisper one last time. "Thank you."

~

Not long after, Kouyou and Yuu found themselves cuddled up on the couch in the living room watching a movie after the dishes were done and dinner was cleaned up. Sitting with his back against the armrest, Kouyou had Yuu sitting between his legs, the raven's back flush with the senior's chest as strong arms wrapped themselves around him underneath the blankets. By that point it had gotten dark outside and the television was the only thing illuminating the boys' features, and Kouyou admired the way the blue light lit up Yuu's raven strands to a navy hue.

"I just want to be like this with you forever," Kouyou murmured against Yuu's ear, pulling the boy closer to his chest as he spoke. "You're so warm. So soft. So huggable..."

"Kou, stop it..."

"You know I could be doing much worse than this. I don't think you should complain." The familiar yet intoxicating scent of Yuu's hair in Kouyou's face brought the blond to a state of bliss, unable to stop his hands as they started to roam Yuu's shoulders and chest—rather suggestively, at that.

"Mom's in the other room, don't be stupid Kouyou..." Yuu just barely managed to suppress a soft moan at Kouyou's touches.

"I'm not going to do anything bad," Kouyou excused. "I just want to hold you. Just wanna make sure you're really here with me..."

Yuu glanced back over his shoulder, peering up at Kouyou with playful eyes. "I'm here. If I wasn't, could I do this?" The raven leaned back further in order to deliver a peck to Kouyou's lips, to which Kouyou smiled against and accepted fully.

"I suppose not. But maybe you should give me another one, just so I can be sure..." Another peck before Kouyou was moving his lips harsher against Yuu's in a way that was both passionate and loving. It wasn't as hungry as their previous kisses, as the senior really wasn't stupid enough to do anything overly sexual with his boyfriend in the open vicinity of the living room, but it still had a trace of deprived desire that he just couldn't ignore.

Movie forgotten, Kouyou let his hands move down, gripping Yuu's thighs under the security of the blanket draped over top of them. Yuu grinned against his lips at the daring action but didn't stop the blond, instead allowing him to knead the satisfying flesh encased in his large hands, and of course, Kouyou took advantage. He stroked the thighs over the fabric of the raven's pants, ever so often trailing dangerously close to his most sensitive regions...

But the obnoxious ringing of Kouyou's phone was promptly interrupting the boys' moment, and the blond's features twisted into a scowl as he broke away from Yuu in order to fetch the godforsaken device from his pants pocket.

"Fuck."

"Who is it?" Yuu asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

Kouyou inhaled a shaky breath before responding. "It's my dad."

Sending his boyfriend a sorrowful glance, Yuu nodded in apprehensive understanding. "You should probably answer it."

"What? Why should I?" Kouyou was taken aback by the instruction, his phone still ringing loudly in his hand as he glared daggers at the screen as if the device held the man himself inside of it.

"He probably wants you home. And right now, Kou, we can't afford to piss him off. For now it would probably be best for everyone if you just went along with what he wants, at least until we can figure out a plan to end this once and for all."

Kouyou couldn't help but let out a sigh at his boyfriend's sensibility. "Fine," he said, before answering the phone and lifting the device to his ear. As predicted, the man was ordering Kouyou home in his usual stern voice, although it held much more judgement; he probably knew that Kouyou was at Yuu's, and Kouyou knew it was enough to anger his father.

Not that the senior cared. Not when he had Yuu in his presence and he fucked him into oblivion just hours before. In fact, the knowledge made the senior smirk—it was something that his father probably couldn't even begin to comprehend, the close-minded fuck.

When Yuu heard the man tell Kouyou to come home, the raven threw a sympathetic glance over his shoulder again, mouthing the words 'go home'.

And so, after hanging up the phone and showering Yuu with as many hugs and kisses and cuddles he could possibly manage in the short amount of time before the blond's departure, Kouyou had left.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay! school started for me last week and i've been slowly getting back into the routine again.
> 
> this chapter is pretty long, hope it's enough for yall to forgive me!!

Yuu was sitting alone in the cafeteria when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He quickly took it out before a wide smile spread on his face, his mood lifting up instantly upon seeing Takanori’s name on the display.

Takanori: done talking w the teacher. i’ll be there in 2 min

Yuu sighed with relief and relaxed in his seat as he finally gave his sandwich the deserved attention it needed.

Kouyou had council meetings that day and wasn’t supposed to meet Yuu until their classes were over. Yutaka, on the other hand, didn’t show up to school at all due to the flu that was going around and, of course, the brunette was one of the first to fall victim to it. It was just as unfortunate that Akira had a meeting with their coach now, and so Yuu was left to stalk around the corridors alone until… Takanori saved his lunch and the rest of his day.

And just as promised, two minutes later, the short blond appeared in the cafeteria and sat down in the chair opposite of Yuu’s with a grinning face.

“Wow, you’re shining today,” Yuu commented after setting his sandwich aside.

“What do you mean? I’m always shining,” the boy retorted, lifting an eyebrow at his friend which evoked a snort from Yuu.

“I can tell that shine is different today.”

The way Yuu teased Takanori didn’t seem to sit well with the boy, and he was quick to fire back at the raven with the same daring tone.

“I’m surprised you texted me; you kinda never do. Did Kouyou get over his jealousy?”

Yuu’s smiling face quickly fell into a disturbed one and the boy simply averted his gaze, unable to hide the worry he felt.

“I don’t know,” he mumbled honestly, realizing that he hadn’t really talked with Kouyou about it since they had bigger problems to deal with at the time. “He did apologize for overreacting, though.”

“Hm…” Takanori wasn’t convinced. “He’s still jealous.”

Unable to speak, Yuu nodded in response as he felt something stuck in his throat, almost suffocating him.

“Do you want me to talk with him?”

“Better not.” Yuu’s heart jumped in his chest as he shook his head, denying Takanori’s proposition instantly. He couldn’t risk angering his senior or causing another break up between them, especially now when they had Mr. Takashima to deal with. That man was terrifying enough, and Yuu preferred to focus on him alone—because the boy had found that the consequences of the blond’s jealousy were frightening him even more. It was something that depended on Kouyou’s mindset and convictions alone, something that required a lot more patience and understanding to solve. They weren’t in the condition to fight on two fronts right now.

“Do _you_ wanna talk with me?” Takanori asked reluctantly after sensing the raven wasn’t going to speak up any time soon.

Yuu was confused at that, his feelings running a little spiral inside of him as he wondered if Taka was the right person to delve into the matter with. He did feel more comfortable around him lately, but the whole ordeal with his boyfriend was making him nervous. Takanori, on the other hand, seemed to always pick up on the clear picture quicker than he, and Yuu knew the boy wouldn’t lie or lead him on, especially regarding something like this.

“It scares me,” Yuu confessed finally, biting his lips nervously. “I haven’t seen Kouyou like this before, even though...” And then, as a flashback shot in front of his eyes, the raven trembled lightly, remembering that time he had received the love letter… and the way Kouyou had grabbed and almost broke Yuu’s wrist in his tight hold… or that time when Kouyou had Yuu restrained in his arms as he forced the younger to stay close in the president’s drunken state at Yuu’s house.

Kouyou did admit to liking Yuu for awhile, even if he hadn’t known or understood it, right? And those conflicts were caused by jealousy; first Yumi, then Hana and now…

“What did he do?” Takanori ruined his train of thought and Yuu flinched as it took him a couple of seconds to respond.

“He’s been jealous before, but because of… girls?”

“Ah, I see the problem.” The blond sighed and relaxed, looking up at Yuu with a smirk on his face. “He’s quite dominant, isn’t he? The girls are soft—therefore, they can’t really steal that away from him. But I'm a boy, and he was jealous of me before… if you remember that time we talked on Yutaka’s balcony? Kouyou emerged out of nowhere then. But now he knows that you were interested in me before, so his feelings escalated. I bet he’s never felt like this before, and so he didn’t know what to do. And since you’re the first boy he’s ever dated and liked, he’s probably just discovering this dominance in himself,” Takanori explained to the best of his ability, hoping Yuu would be able to understand. “He’s been ‘straight’ all his life, and probably imagined the idea of being the top, the dominant to a soft girl in a relationship, so falling for a boy might have shaken his world a bit. Maybe it scares him, too.”

The blond’s words rang in Yuu’s ears as it all made sense to him now, his thoughts slowly drifting back to the afternoon they spent on Saturday, locked in his room and drowning in their lust. Kouyou was gentle and so nervous the first time they had been together, but then… he seemed so confident and so possessive, pinning the raven down and devouring him in all kinds of dirty ways. Yuu didn’t mind it, and truthfully… he enjoyed it all, feeling special and loved... desired by his senior who delivered only pleasure and sweet love to the raven in the end.

And as he thought about it now… Yuu realized that change occurred exactly after Kouyou’s jealousy had taken its peak.

The boy would never forget Kouyou’s eyes and tone as he cornered him and blamed him, silencing every attempt of Yuu’s to defend himself the night they took a break. The hurt and anger the raven saw on the president’s face was scaring him even now, every single time he recalled the imagine in his mind. Yuu would never forget how much pain he endured that night in Kouyou’s car when they fought for a first time as a couple, but Takanori was right… maybe Kouyou was just as afraid as Yuu was, if not even more so.

“I understand...” Yuu murmured and looked away, embarrassed by the images in his head. “Maybe it's better if we talk now, instead of trying to fix it later. I already told him we should work on it together, but…”

“You don’t want to cause another fight?”

Takanori was too clever for his own good and Yuu didn’t respond, instead merely nodded in response again.

“I think the worst has already passed.” The short boy leaned in, looking right into Yuu’s eyes. “Kouyou himself wants to work on that and, since it’s already clear he’s the possessive type, he won't let you go just like that—especially not for a reason such as this.”

Yuu wanted to believe Takanori, but the boy was too afraid to make a move and actually try to talk with his boyfriend again so soon.

He wasn’t even sure how Kouyou was going to react to the lunchtime spent together the boys were having right now. The insecurity he felt was eating him inside, and something was telling him this day wasn’t going to end well.

Once lunch was over, they left the cafeteria and headed towards their classes, waving each other their goodbyes. Yuu couldn’t concentrate during his history class again, and this time even his teacher had noticed, scolding him after the raven failed to answer a few questions. He still muttered some words and facts, but it wasn’t satisfying enough for the old lady, her eyes focusing on him until the class was over.

Yuu was feeling nauseous by that time and quickly left, heading to the park outside, desperate for some fresh air in his lungs and some calming serenity to soothe his nerves.

Everything seemed to be so damn complicated lately and the raven’s mind was _tired,_ needing a release as soon as possible. He approached his favorite spot in the park, his eyes scanning the area before the boy finally took a seat on the bench. Mr. Takashima had the tendency to appear when Yuu least expected him, and now the boy was paranoid it would happen again; the thought alone gave him gut-wrenching chills.

Yuu sighed at himself and shook his head before taking out a book… or two, because Kouyou had another class and wouldn’t be appearing any time soon.

Yet, to his great surprise, Yuu had just started on the first page when someone cleared their throat behind him, the boy quickly turning around grinning at the newcomer. Kouyou was gazing warmly at him in all of his gorgeous glory, and Yuu admired every movement of his senior as he sat down next to him. It had been only a day, and yet the raven truly had missed him.  
“I’m sorry I couldn’t see you earlier,” Kouyou apologized, stretching lazily. “It’s been a rough day altogether.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“How was lunch?” Kouyou’s face fell a bit as he asked that, and Yuu took a breath before speaking up.

“It was fine. Takanori kept me company, so I wasn’t alone.”

There was a small pause of silence between them and Yuu grew getting paranoid again, but Kouyou didn’t look very disturbed by the news. “I promise to keep you company tomorrow. I also wanted to take you to some place after school.”

Yuu felt relieved after hearing Kouyou’s response, his mood uplifting even more after the blond’s proposal.

“What place?” The raven’s smile grew wider again, and Kouyou chuckled at his boyfriend’s cuteness.

“Do you have all of the equipment you need? I just wanted to take you to my favourite store, that’s all.”

Yuu instantly frowned at that and crossed his hands in front of his chest, scolding the senior a moment later. “Are you trying to spend money on me again, Kouyou?”

“Maybe?” the blond answered him with a cheeky smirk, and Yuu nearly blushed again.

“Stop doing that, I’m perfectly fine the way I am.”

“Are you sure?” Kouyou wasn’t giving up yet, and Yuu smiled warmly at him.

“I’m positive. Let’s just go on a date instead.”

Kouyou looked elated at Yuu’s idea, but something in the background seemed to catch his attention soon after. His face quickly darkened, causing Yuu’s insides to stir. The raven quickly followed his boyfriend’s gaze before he caught sight of a man in a suit approaching them quickly from the parking lot.

And just like that, Yuu’s confidence and good mood diminished in seconds. Kouyou’s father looked more intimidating than ever.

“Hello, boys.” He greeted them as soon as he reached their spot; Kouyou glared at the man.

“What are you doing here?”

“You have an appointment at the dentist. Just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to miss it.” The man smiled at them and Yuu felt unsettled immediately. This hypocrite didn’t know when to stop.

“You could’ve just texted me instead.” Kouyou’s features were still radiating with irritation, but that didn’t affect his father.

“I prefer to look after my son closely when his well-being is concerned.”

“Strange how it only took you 18 years to finally become so observant and concerned…”

“It’s okay Kouyou,” Yuu smiled, interrupting their little argument in a small attempt to avoid something more serious at this point. “Dentist sounds important. We can see each other on our date tomorrow.”

The raven didn’t miss the opportunity to throw that in the man’s face, despite his fears that maybe he was going to try and interfere in some way in the end. Yuu had promised to himself to never let Kouyou deal with Mr. Takashima alone again, and he was also sure that being open about their relationship was the best thing they could do right now.

After the man didn’t respond, Kouyou seemed to calm down, his voice sounding much softer when he turned to Yuu again.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” And without hesitation, the blond leaned slightly closer and planted a small peck upon Yuu’s temple before standing up and leaving his side at the bench.  
Yuu’s face grew warm at the gesture before he quickly threw a worried glance at Kouyou’s father, but the man wasn’t even looking at them. Nonetheless, he still seemed angry and disturbed.

“Akira should be here soon. Tell him I’ll call him later.” Kouyou turned one last time and Yuu nodded, his eyes watching his boyfriend leave, followed by the angry figure of his father.

The raven sighed with relief, but he couldn’t stop the worry from weighing him down and pressing on his chest, preventing his steady breathing every time Kouyou’s father was present. It was almost painful, but Yuu was also feeling so much stronger than before. Mr. Takashima seemed hard as a rock still, but Yuu was sure that it depended on him and Kouyou to plant the change in his heart.

~

"You're slow. Hurry up."

"Sorry, I guess I was just monitoring my pace so your short little legs could keep up."

"My short little— fuck you! Hey, wait, come back!"

Aching lungs aided the quick breaths escaping from Takanori's mouth in pants as the shorter blond took off after Akira once the two had made it outside. Truth be told, Takanori's little legs could not, in fact, keep up to Akira's speed, leaving him in the dust quite a ways behind the senior. It wasn't long before his throat started to run dry and steps became heavy as he became winded; so winded, in fact, that he hadn't even noticed Akira backtrack and lean down to meet his eyes.

"Hey, I was kidding. I'm not on the soccer team for nothing, you know—of course I'm fast," Akira boasted with a stupidly attractive smirk, to which Takanori furrowed his eyebrows at in irritation. "Not my fault you don't exercise."

"Don't rub it in." It was no surprise that Takanori wasn't of the athletic type. A diva like him wouldn't go within three feet of a ball, which Akira was apparently well aware of.

"One day we'll get you in shape, Taka. Just you wait."

After merely a moment's hesitation, Takanori was already retorting, "I'm already in shape. I'm gorgeous, aren't I?" The boy stood up straight as he spoke, crossing his arms. Of course he'd resort back to his confident demeanor whenever an insecurity of his was touched upon.

However, Akira as a personal trainer wasn't that bad of a thought to Takanori...

"...Let's just go find Kouyou and Yuu."

Stupid, stupid straight boys.

Takanori rolled his eyes triumphantly and then nodded, walking ahead of Akira a few paces as he had been previously—although this time, he didn't pester the senior about his slower speed.

Something that had Takanori feeling off, though, was how the walk to the park had been eerily silent. More often than not the two blonds were tossing playful insults or teases back and forth whenever they were and weren't alone, Akira promoting them as much as Takanori did. But Akira had seemed off that day, and in a way that even someone as intuitive as Takanori couldn't decipher. He'd only seen the senior briefly throughout the day, but whenever he did, Akira seemed distant in a way. Even Takanori's earlier "shininess", as Yuu called it, didn't seem to affect the other blond in any way, which only confused Takanori further—because that shininess had been Akira's doing, and in a way, Takanori felt wronged to be the only one feeling it. If Akira didn't, then what did it mean for them? When their recent closeness had been the thing to send Takanori into elation that he was usually so good at concealing, and yet Yuu had picked up on it. Either Yuu knew him well, or he had been obvious. Takanori would be damned if he had let his emotions get the better of himself again.

The short blond shook his head as the thoughts whirled within his mind. _Why do you have to be so stupid, Akira? Such an idiot. A gorgeous idiot that knows how to make me laugh, a dumb shit I want to open up to?_ Takanori wish he knew, but he didn't—and he had no more time to dwell on it, either, as an unmistakable head of lengthy raven hair came into view, which could be recognized as Yuu instantly. The boy was sitting on a bench in the park, looking slightly shaken as he fumbled through the pages of the book he was reading.

Most importantly, though, Yuu was alone.

"Yuu? Where's Kouyou?"

Yuu jumped at the sound of Takanori's voice, apparently not having noticed his two friends approaching him. Looking at him close, Takanori's suspicions were confirmed—Yuu was almost trembling.

"Kou... Kouyou's father showed up to pick him up for a dentist appointment," Yuu said, closing his book and putting it into his bag. He appeared more relaxed now that his friends had arrived. "It's okay. We have a date tomorrow."

When Yuu revealed the news, Takanori let his features rest in a soft smile, as did Yuu's. The little blond hoped it meant that the couple would have a chance to discuss their issues, as Yuu seemed to still be quite bothered by them.

"Man, Kou's dad is really a dick," Akira commented. "I always knew he was shitty, but... this is getting ridiculous. It's like he's stalking you at this point."

"Akira," Takanori shot as he instantly picked up on Yuu's discomfort, "shut up."

"Okay, sorry." The senior lifted his hands up in defense. "Just telling it like it is..."

"Yuu, how about we give you a ride home?" Takanori was quick to interject again, side-eyeing his taller, blond companion with judgement. Stupid!

Luckily, the raven nodded and smiled at his friend's proposal, gathering his things and standing up from the bench, his paranoia from earlier starting to disperse. "Sure, thank you."

The three boys climbed into Akira's expensive vehicle soon after, en route to Yuu's house. The ride was tense and quiet, and Takanori knew it was all because of himself and Akira—which meant that poor Yuu had to be subjected to it in the midst of his own issues. Thankfully, the distance to Yuu's house was short and Takanori was happy to spare his friend from any extra burden as he stepped out of the car, waving goodbye to the two blonds and thanking them for the ride.

Takanori sat back in his seat, glancing out of the window as the car rolled out of Yuu's driveway. Akira wasn't speaking, and it rubbed Takanori the wrong way. The last time he had been so silent was when... they had fought.

Takanori couldn't take it anymore.

"What's on your mind, Akira? You're acting off today."

The blunt question evidently took the senior off guard as he raised his eyebrow and shot a look to the shorter boy in the passenger side of the car. This time, Takanori was looking at him, and he didn't miss the darkness that followed in his features. Akira sighed, taking in a big breath before responding.

"Can you come over? I... need to talk to you."

Okay, Takanori certainly hadn't been expecting that—the proposal, the uncertainty in which Akira spoke—it was endearing in a way that the younger boy just couldn't deny. He hummed.

"Yeah, guess I can."

The ride to Akira’s house was filled with… silence. The senior was worried and afraid at the same time. He was still confused by himself and his sudden decision to ask Takanori to come over to his house, despite the fact his feelings were still in chaos and the boy couldn’t understand his motives behind it.

Takanori seemed just as stressed and anxious which made Akira’s heart clench, realizing he was the cause for the boy’s inner torment once again. He didn’t want this, and felt guilt eating him inside as he pondered whether talking to the short blond so soon was a good idea after all.

They were both still worried about their friends, but this matter between him and Takanori was urgent.

Akira couldn’t deny the way his heart beat quickly every time the younger boy looked at him now. Even the sassy remarks and silly banter thrown between them were things the senior thoroughly enjoyed; he loved Takanori’s face of aggravation, and the cute pout he would make every time Akira wasn’t careful with his words. The way the short blond would avert his eyes and smirk at their silly antics at times had Akira’s chest fluttering; much like the butterflies he now harboured inside of him.

And as he thought about it now, the senior was able to feel a certain heat forming in his core; it was a heat he’d never felt before, but it warmed his heart and the boy was afraid of it.  
He was scared of it, mostly because he was almost sure what it meant at this point.

He liked Takanori… a lot. He liked the beautiful shine in his eyes, the attractive curve of his lips, the way his movements were so delicate and yet so stern, radiating with the power of the boy’s charisma and confidence. Akira had found himself watching the younger, admiring him for all his worth, on more than one occasion.

Especially after the fight they last had. Akira couldn’t stop thinking of his feelings since then, secretly hoping he would find the answers before Takanori did it for him. Maybe that was why he was so afraid yet still eager to talk with the small diva. His feelings were increasing drastically, and he knew no one would be able to help him understand them better than the short blond sitting in the passenger seat.

Kouyou was his best friend, but he was still new to the whole gay concept; on top of that, he had bigger problems to solve and worry about right now, and Akira decided he had to handle the situation on his own this time.

When they finally arrived, Takanori got out of the car even faster than Akira himself. The tall blond couldn’t read his face at all and, even after they entered the spacious living room, he still wasn’t able to understand why the short student was so troubled by all of this. He definitely hadn’t picked up on the real reason Akira had asked him to come over, right?

“Okay… so,” the senior tried to start the conversation, but quickly felt nervous and looked away. “Let’s sit down first, and…”

“Akira.” Takanori cut him off. “You’re scaring me.” The short boy didn’t look scared, but more like… _annoyed_ at the suspense the senior was giving him. “Just get to the point.”

There he was… the diva Akira desperately wanted to tame, but at the same... he preferred him like this, demanding and pushy.

“Um… okay,” the senior trailed off and tried to avoid Takanori’s gaze for the hundredth time. “I was actually gonna ask you… um…” _Idiot!_ Akira couldn’t believe how weak he was as he spoke. “How did you… find out you were gay?”

Silence followed after that, and the younger boy didn’t react. In fact his eyes were blank, his overall expression unreadable with a tinge of boredness. They simply stared at each other and Akira’s heart raced, its speed almost wrecking the senior’s rib cage.

“Tsk… Akira.” The boy narrowed his eyes, but his feelings stayed hidden. “I’m gonna tell you one thing and the conversation will be pretty much over after that.” Akira’s breath halted at that. “Kouyou asked me the same before confessing to Yuu.”

And then every wall or facade shielding the taller boy’s true feelings finally collapsed.

Despite his physique and overall goofy-yet-macho behavior, he felt smaller than Takanori now, his pride shrinking to its lowest; it almost made him angry at himself.

“Okay, _fine.”_ Akira snapped after the small pause between them. “I think I like you.”

Takanori didn’t move.

Akira traced all of Takanori’s features with his eyes, desperate for any sign of reaction to his words, but there was none.

The senior was panicking now.

“Did you hear what I said?” he asked, not hiding his annoyance this time.

“Did you hear yourself just now?” the short blond was still so unreadable to his senior that Akira couldn’t hold the aggravation from spilling along his next words.

“Of course I did. What the fuck do you mean by that? I’m serious.” Trust Takanori to grate on him and make this even harder than it initially was...

“And I should believe you _because…?”_ Takanori trailed off as he made a pause, waiting for his senior to finish the sentence; it angered Akira, and the senior couldn’t hold back any longer.

“You know what? Just fuck you. _Fuck you,_ Takanori. Just leave.” Akira expected a lot from the small boy infront of him, including anger, insults… a tantrum, even—but he was completely shocked by the way Takanori simply shrugged his shoulders and slowly walked past him, heading to the front door, wearing the same cold eyes he had donned since they arrived.

The senior had never felt such hurt, nor felt more humiliated by someone’s ignorance before. He was never the one being cornered, and he never was the one to be left behind. The pain Akira was feeling right now was so new, the boy didn’t think twice before turning around and following the blond, catching him by the wrist seconds before reaching the door.

Takanori was then pulled into a tight embrace, the senior wrapping his strong arms around his small body.

To Akira’s surprise, the diva didn’t react again and remained frozen, not answering his affections. And yet, he didn’t push him away; Akira took that as a sign that the boy didn’t have any intentions of being mean to him right now.

“Goddammit, please don’t make it so difficult. I like you, Taka, and I want you to believe me. Tell me what to do.” Akira’s heart halted again but because of entirely different reasons this time, as he felt his heart breaking like never before. “Tell me what to do to make you believe me and I’ll do it.”

The rapid beating of Akira's heart was pounding in Takanori's ear as the smaller blond laid his head upon the senior's chest, the arms around him holding him tight, and close; in a way that Takanori hadn't felt in a very long time. Each word that left Akira's lips had the younger boy's entire body aching in confusion, in desire, in want, and in longing. In the need to know that the words being spoken aloud were the truth, and not some shitty way to get back at Takanori for his constant sassy remarks or attitude. He wanted, more than anything, to believe what Akira had said. He wanted to believe that the taller blond hadn't taken his confession and thrown it to the curb, instead opting to consider Takanori's feelings for what they truly were.

And the way Akira had him held so close, how the senior reached out to snatch Takanori into his arms when he thought the shorter boy would leave him, toss his confession to the curb like Takanori had feared Akira treated his own one, had Takanori's breath still, his mind blank as he basked in the warmth and direct comfort, and the shallow, anxious breaths escaping the senior's mouth. Akira was nervous, Takanori could feel it; the fear in his words, the desperation in which he acted out upon just seconds ago, resulting in their current silent embrace. The younger boy had quite the niche in reading people, their emotions and their feelings, but god, did Akira always come as an enigma to him... until that moment, where he could sense the genuine worry and raw emotion in the blond's tone as clear as day.

Or maybe he was just being hopeful.

"Say something, Taka. Please."

Or maybe he wasn't.

"Akira..." The broken, tense silence between the two of them was deafening, and Takanori found himself clutching his fists against Akira's solid chest as his mind whirled with uncovered emotions, ones that he hadn't exposed in a long time, instead keeping them locked away. He trembled, which promoted the senior to tighten his muscled arms around him, eliciting a small smile onto Takanori's lips.

He'd fallen hard for this straight guy who might not be so straight after all, and when said guy seemed so unsure and so exposed, the softness in Takanori's heart was suffocating.  
He wanted to take a chance with Akira.

"Kiss me like you mean it, idiot, and then maybe I'll believe you."

And fuck, _kiss him like he meant it_ he did. The clash of their lips was so unlike the first intoxicated kiss they had shared, the one so full of unrequited feelings and uncertainty; of course, it wasn't perfect and Takanori could still sense a faint amount of hesitation from the senior, but after merely a still moment of contact, Akira was holding Takanori close by the waist and moving against his lips with such emotion that the little blond could practically feel himself _melting._ The sensuality in which their mouths moved together and the raw feeling that they both could feel instantly alerted Takanori in a way that he knew what Akira had said was true, and the desperation in the kiss made Takanori realize just how much the senior really meant what he said. Not only has the words been true, but they were sincere. Genuine, as unsure as Akira may have been or might still be; he was trying, and that alone was enough for Takanori to give in.

The slow sensuality of the kiss had them both gasping for breath as they broke apart, their lips barely brushing and nose against clothed nose bumping together.

"Taka, do you—"

"Do you mean it?" Takanori interrupted in a whisper, his hands laying flat against the senior's chest. He had already gotten his answer, but he wanted to hear Akira say it for certain.

With a shaky breath, the taller blond opened his mouth to speak. "I do. God, I do. All of it."

"Then I believe you." Once more their lips became locked, Akira's hands on Takanori's slim waist as Takanori lifted his hands to grip onto the messy nest that was Akira's hair, pulling him down and close as the kiss escalated quickly, tongues becoming apparent and saliva beginning to mix while their quieted moans filled the air.

Takanori couldn't deny that he wanted Akira's body as much as he wanted his heart; especially ever since their first kiss, despite its lack of emotion, it had still been arousing for him, and for Akira too. But now, making out fiercely and passionately with the senior he so desired, full of feeling and deeper meaning, the heat spreading through Takanori's body was something that he couldn't ignore as he dominated the kiss, forcing his tongue deeper into Akira's mouth.

"Go sit on the couch," Takanori gasped once they'd eventually pulled apart again, his eyes ablaze as he licked his plump lips lewdly. "...and I'll give you a blowjob that'll make you forget women even exist."

Akira was suddenly taken aback by the lewdness of the words that had just left Takanori’s mouth. He simply blinked couple of times as he felt a strange pressure in his abdomen which traveled down to his newfound arousal in a heartbeat. It felt weird to the senior and he was strangely repulsed by the idea, despite his body being so responsive to the shorter boy’s ministrations and words.

He couldn’t deny that the thought of his cock buried deep in the diva’s mouth had crossed his mind more than once, but it felt so… unnatural now… so out of place.

He wasn’t new to the concept of sex and all of the frustration which came with it, the pleasure as well, but somehow he felt like Takanori was different despite how confident the boy looked in his arms. Or maybe, Akira felt different about the shorter boy himself. Something was telling him that their situation had escalated enough already and if he didn’t want to lose Takanori, he had to take a different path of approach which didn’t include them doing anything intimate at this point.

He wanted to show the diva how serious he was about this, therefore he had to treat him differently.

Takanori was waiting for his response, though, and the boy’s eyes slowly turned into slits as he eyed him suspiciously.

“Taka, don’t look at me like that,” the senior begged as he hugged the boy tighter, afraid that he was going to pull away and never return to his arms again. “I don’t want to mistreat you. I can’t do what you’re asking me now. I want to do this right.”

“What do you mean...”

“Let’s go on a date first,” Akira suggested with a smirk on his face, desperate in his attempt to pacify the boy who still looked reluctant. “Let’s go tomorrow after school, and just relax and… spend time together.”

“Are you sure you’re not just trying to get rid of me?” Takanori looked furious as he spoke, and Akira quickly left a peck on his lips which immediately made the boy pull away in confusion.

He remained silent and bashful as they stared at each other before the senior moved one of his hands, letting it grab at Takanori’s chin gently yet firm enough to keep their gazes locked.

“You can’t get rid of me even if you wanted to.”

And Akira truly meant those words, feeling warm inside as soon as Takanori’s gaze turned soft and kind. Every time the senior was able to read that affection in the diva’s orbs made him feel alive and excited.

He did like the boy, after all—and as he thought about it now, maybe he liked him from before they began to build a bond between each other.

“Tomorrow after school?” Takanori repeated, his voice timid, and Akira chuckled, realizing he had never seen the diva so pacified before.

“Yes, tomorrow,” he smiled back and released the boy’s chin, pulling away a second later. “You’re still new to this town—I think I have the perfect place to show you.”

Takanori bit his lips immediately and averted his eyes, shying away from Akira’s stern gaze.

The senior felt so attracted to this boy, especially now after seeing him act so different and out of character. Akira couldn’t believe it only took a few gentle kisses to tame the little blond and the senior felt proud of himself, knowing that this was probably the first time he was actually honest to both a person he liked, as well as to himself. He felt free around Takanori, as he didn't have to hide any of his emotions in fear of being judged. Funny enough, Takanori was judging him all the time anyways, but it was a cute game of words that he was willing to play with the short boy. It brought him comfort and warmth that he found himself to be addicted to.

“So if we aren’t doing anything productive for our relationship today… you should drive me home,” Takanori said after a long minute of silence and awkwardness between them. Akira only blinked again as he realized that he wasn’t ready to let the diva go so soon.

But he was also afraid of himself, knowing that his attraction for Takanori was strong and growing by the second. His adorable _everything_ didn’t help either, as the boy seemed strangely softened as he spoke with his senior now.

Akira had to remind himself again that this boy deserved a lot more and he had to treat him differently.

“I’ll drive you.” He grinned and bumped Takanori’s shoulder with his own suggestively. “I’ll prepare something special for you tomorrow; I have the whole evening to plan things out, so you better make sure you’re all mine after school tomorrow.”

Akira didn’t miss the way the boy in front of him shied away at that.

“You better not disappoint me, Akira.”

And as the boy tried to turn around and head for the door a second time, the tall senior grabbed his hand and spun him around only to meet their lips in a soft kiss a second later.

Despite the fire burning inside of him, Akira didn’t pull Takanori closer nor unleashed any of his sinful thoughts as they flooded his mind at the simple touch. He gathered all of his self control and managed to pull away slowly, their lips managing to produce a sound which sent chills through both of their spines.

Akira’s eyes opened and managed to focus on the half-lidded, dazed expression of Takanori… and he couldn’t help but chuckle, which quickly snapped the shorter boy out of his daze.

“Stop it.” The diva then growled with the very-familiar scolding tone, the tall blond smiling softly as he watched Takanori walk away with a graceful and oh-so-beautiful sway of his hips.

Oh, Takanori truly was something.

Akira was deep into that something now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now how's THAT for some real reituki, finally, after 35 chapters??? lmfao
> 
> don't worry, more is coming ;))


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> VEILED IS NOT DEAD! i'm so sorry for the near month-long wait for a chapter, with school starting i completely forgot :(
> 
> so here it is at last. ENJOY

"Quit staring and get your keys." Takanori threw yet another teasing remark Akira's way, knowing quite well that the senior was focused on the image of his small frame and its sensual movements walking towards the front door. As much as Takanori liked to use his assets to get what he wanted (or merely to play), his mannerisms now were not intentional, but rather carefree, and dare Takanori say... relieved.

Akira was different; he was sure of that now. But tomorrow's mystery date would surely solidify his assumptions and whether or not the dumb senior really did mean everything he had said with such heartfelt intentions, Takanori could've melted right in the taller boy's arms then and there (sue him, he was a hopeless romantic).

Underneath it all, however, the diva was just a sparking concoction of mixed emotions and feelings—worry, because what if Akira wasn't what he said he was, or maybe he wasn't cut out to date, nor be with another boy? Maybe he'd come out on top to be straight after all, or maybe his feelings for Takanori weren't what he thought they were.

But maybe, just  _ maybe,  _ the short blond was paranoid without reason.

"Hey, I wasn't staring!" Akira fretted, quickly snatching his keys from where they hung on a rack. "I just, uh..."

Either way, Takanori knew how to wrap a man around his finger when he needed to. "Don't worry, I know my ass is amazing," he smirked. "We'll see how well you earn it." Not really—the younger boy just wanted to see how far he could push Akira's boundaries, setting up small tests here and there to see how he fared—but knew he didn't really have to. Akira had already shown him enough, and how hard he would be willing to work for Takanori's companionship—but only time and tomorrow's date would tell for sure.

Akira merely scoffed in response to Takanori's remark, rushing to open the door for him; how gentlemanly. But not only did he hold open the front door, he opened the car door for the younger boy, as well; it was then that Takanori hid a smile behind his sleeve as he got into the seat, slyly watching Akira make his way to the driver's side after closing Takanori's door.

He could certainly get used to this.

~

"Come on, Akira. Give me a hint."

"No, it's a surprise. You'll see when we get there. Tomorrow."

"You're no fun!" Takanori whined, leaning his head back against the seat. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Akira smirk, and it sent the shorter boy's heart fluttering like a million butterflies. Their quick banter was always something that brightened both of their moods, and Takanori couldn't imagine a life without it. "It better be damn good if you won't even give me a hint."

"It will be," Akira promised, his face softening. "I hope it will be."

Takanori couldn't respond. The genuine worry in which Akira spoke had the shorter blond shutting his mouth as he pondered, staring out of the window and watching the houses go by as a distraction for his troubled thoughts.

It wasn't long before the car pulled into Takanori's driveway, which meant it wasn't long before the two boys had to part ways that night. A small voice in the back of Takanori's mind wanted to yell out to Akira, to tell him to stay, to tell him how much he was desired by the small blond—and yet he couldn't.

"I guess this is goodnight," Akira murmured, disturbing the tense silence that the both of them could feel. "And, uh... thank you for all of this, I guess. For giving me a chance to prove myself to you."

"Don't thank me until you've actually proved yourself," Takanori responded. "But... you're welcome, I guess." His take at imitating Akira's unsure attitude was enough to make the senior laugh and, unsurprisingly, that alone was enough to lift all tension between them. That stupid, deep laugh... "I... Koron probably really misses me, I shouldn't keep him waiting for longer than I have to."

"Koron?"

In order to stop himself from laughing aloud at Akira's sudden defensiveness at the mention of another male in Takanori's life, Takanori bit his lip before responding. "My chihuahua, doofus."

"I—yeah, yeah I knew that," Akira defended himself uselessly, and now it was Takanori's turn to chuckle. He sent one last, longing look at his seatbelt before unbuckling it, and then finally, a glance cast Akira's way.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Make sure you're free, and meet me right outside the school after it finishes."

"I will," Takanori confirmed with a soft smile. No more jokes. If Akira really was serious, then Takanori would be, too. "Goodnight, Aki."

"Night, Taka."

And then Takanori was off, slipping out of the vehicle and up to his front door. Truth be told, as soon as he opened it, Koron was at his ankles, jumping on and licking his owner—and if Takanori said he didn't catch Akira smiling at the scene, well, he'd he a big fat liar.

~

Hips swaying with every step and head raised high, Takanori's day at school the following morning started with immeasurable confidence and a newfound... dare he say, happiness? After thoughts of the previous night with a certain dumb, blond senior, the short boy could certainly say that yes, he was happy. Happy that Akira was so willing to try something with Takanori, despite his confusion and probable turmoil. Happy that things finally seemed to be falling into place.

Speaking of which...

Lunch time had finally rolled around, which prompted the flamboyant boy to meet up with his group at their usual table in the cafeteria (albeit with many stares and gazes as he walked through the hallways like he were on a runway; nothing unusual for the diva), and spill the gossip to Yuu about his situation with Akira—because Takanori was threatening to burst at the seams, having held in the news for so long already—he just  _ had  _ to tell his best friend.

Because what kind of best friend would Takanori be if he didn't share all the juicy gossip about his (potential) man?   
Whilst getting some in return from Yuu, hopefully...

Biting his lip to hide a snide laugh, Takanori had finally made his way to the group's designated table, only to find it conveniently void of the two seniors that featured as today's conversation topic. Yutaka was gone, too, still sick with the flu—and so only a lone head of long raven hair could be spotted, which made today's endeavor all that much easier.

"Hey, Yuuuuuu~" Takanori sang, slipping into the seat beside his best friend after being greeted with a wave. Their shoulders crashed and Yuu winced through a bite of rice, but chuckled at the eccentric behaviour of the feisty blond. He was used to it. "Where's the boyfriend? And his dumbass B-F-F?"

As Takanori said the second sentence, his voice picked up a dreamy, girlish sort of tone, which prompted Yuu to raise an eyebrow. "He's at a meeting, and Akira's getting help with a subject, I think. Yutaka still sick?"

At the response of his raven-haired friend, Takanori held back a chuckle disguised by a smirk. "Akira getting help with a subject? No way." Well, it certainly wouldn't be one of the only things he'd be getting tutoring in in the near future... "And yeah, Yutaka's still sick. Poor thing, he's got it so bad I had to stay out of the house yesterday evening. Speaking of which..."

Again—that signature Takanori smirk.

"Taka... that look. I know that look. What have you done?"

And it was then that Takanori just couldn't hold it back anymore. "So, something may or may not have happened between Akira and I last night... and we may or may not give it a try and see where it goes."

Yuu’s eyes widened instantly, his mouth parting as he stared at his short friend in disbelief. The shocking news had managed to render him speechless and the boy felt heat spread on his cheeks as he remained in his spot, absolutely stunned by Takanori’s revelation.

“What?” The shorter one shifted uncomfortably all of a sudden, sensing that Yuu’s behavior had changed drastically, followed by some sort of strange tension forming in the space separating them. “I thought… you’d be happy, Yuu.”

The raven bit his lip as a thoughtful expression overtook his features and his gaze moved to the food waiting for his attention on the table. He didn’t want to worry his friend, but he couldn’t mask his feelings, either. Akira was very different from Kouyou and had a different aura surrounding him; he had always been so tightly connected to his straight image, never letting anyone doubt him nor his manliness in any aspect. To find out that Takanori had had a drunken makeout session with the senior was one thing, but this sudden development worried him in an entirely new and different way. The raven wasn’t sure what to think anymore. If there was one person he could’ve sworn to be absolutely straight, he would throw his bet on Akira without a second thought.

But he couldn’t say this to his friend now. Not before he knew more of the details. 

Yuu shivered as soon as that crossed his mind. Knowing Takanori, the details would be juicy—and so, the boy sighed, trying to prepare for the shock that was about to be brought unto him by this tiny diva.

“I’ll be happy, but only if things work out in the end,” Yuu said, while Takanori cocked an eyebrow at him.

“So you approve?”

“If he’s treating you well...”

Takanori chuckled at that and Yuu’s eyebrows furrowed in a frown. “What’s so funny?”

“You’re worrying too much again,” Takanori responded with a chuckle, and Yuu felt even  _ more  _ embarrassed, realizing that maybe he was being overly protective again. “You and Kouyou are so much alike.”

Yuu shot him a puzzled look in response and Takanori sighed, turning serious before he spoke again. “Isn’t that the reason he’s jealous of me? Because he’s overthinking and worrying too much…?”

Yuu didn’t respond this time; instead, he averted his gaze in a desperate attempt to avoid Takanori’s piercing eyes. The boy was very good at reading him, and even if he was on the right page as he unfolded Yuu’s newfound insecurities, the raven still had to try and shield some of himself… lock it away. 

Yuu couldn’t believe how vulnerable he felt all of a sudden.

“You two really have to talk soon,” Takanori quickly added and smiled wide, making Yuu flinch. That smile meant teasing and the taller boy instantly felt terrified. “You should have sex before you do—it’ll ease you both. You’ll be surprised at how well your conversation will go after that.”

_ “TAKANORI.” _ Yuu was beyond embarrassed and couldn’t mutter anything more than the diva’s name as if it was enough to make a statement.

“I can tell you that everything goes much smoother with Akira every time I give him affections—imagine how we’re gonna get along once the affections turn into latex and whips of a completely different nature...”

“Good god, Takanori. Shut  _ up.” _ Yuu felt so hot, he had to loosen the tie of his uniform a bit before shifting uncomfortably for the hundredth time that day.

“Okay, seriously now.” Takanori lowered his voice, fingers clasping together before leaning further on the table between them. “How many times have you slept together so far? Maybe you need to loosen up.”

Yuu pondered at the question for a while, but he knew there was no way to escape the boy’s radar for dirty details.

“We… did it twice.”

It was the diva’s turn to gape shamelessly at his friend this time.

“In all the time you’ve been dating, you fucked only  _ twice? _ Are you  _ kidding?! _ If it were me, I’d be attacking him every day.” Yuu averted his gaze yet again, checking their surroundings nervously.

Thankfully, all of the students in the cafeteria were sitting too far away to be able to catch anything they were talking about, but  _ still... _ Yuu felt uncomfortable having this conversation in an open place like this. Takanori seemed to catch on to his worries immediately, and when he spoke again, his voice was much lower than before.

“Yuu, you’re worrying me,” he confessed to his friend, the smile on his face slowly faltering. “I can see you’re really worried, and I want to help, but…”

“Your moral support is enough,” Yuu rushed to interrupt his friend, letting his lips curve in a small smile. “It’s Kouyou’s father I’m worried about right now. But me and Kouyou are going on a date today.”

“Oh…” Takanori replied guiltily, chewing on his bottom lip as he tried to avoid Yuu’s gaze this time. “I’m on a date too.”

The raven blinked emotionlessly from the other end of the small table and sighed. “If that bastard hurts you, I’m going to kill him.”

Takanori couldn’t hold his chuckle and Yuu’s face heated up again, the reasons behind it still unknown to him.

“You really have to loosen up a bit. If I were Kouyou, I, too, would be suspicious as fuck.”

And that hit Yuu’s buttons in the perfect pattern, making him turn cold and angry in seconds.”

“What do you expect?” He spat angrily, his breaths quickening their pace. “This is who I am. I care about the people I love.”

Takanori’s face paled and it took a couple of seconds for Yuu to realize what he had just spilled.

“Please never repeat that in front of Kouyou. I’d like to keep my head attached to my shoulders, thanks.”

Yuu was quick to roll his eyes at that. “I don’t love you romantically.” He scrunched up his nose in what seemed to be some sort of disgust. “We were friends for years before that crush I had, which is, by the way, wiped off my heart and left in history.” Takanori lifted both of his hands in approval, not daring to interrupt the raven with words. “I’m growing really annoyed of all this. I love Kouyou to death, but that shouldn’t prevent me from being protective of and emotional over my friends too. Kouyou knows it, we just…” Yuu found himself breathless for a moment, his heart hitting his ribcage with a force almost choking him, and he tried to take control of his emotions before they threatened to spill even more on the surface. They were still surrounded by students in the cafeteria, after all. “We have to find a way to make it all work. I love him so much, and that’s what frightens me...”

“You have to spend more time together.” Takanori simply replied, and Yuu was confused yet again.

“But… we already spend a lot of time together.”

“No, I mean...” the short boy licked his lips while sighing, preparing for a topic that Yuu had a feeling he wouldn’t like at all. “Ninety-percent of your time is spent in the presence of other people. You need proper affections. You need to spend your time together like a real couple.”

As Takanori finally spilled Yuu’s biggest worries out loud, the raven felt chills run down his spine, making him shift in his seat, avoiding the smaller one’s gaze.

“Yuu…” Takanori began his sentence, feeling alarmed and making sure to be careful as to not pressure his friend further than necessary. “...have you ever thought about… stopping… hiding? Maybe... coming out?”

_ “Fuck no!” _ Yuu raised his voice without realizing it, causing a few students in the cafeteria to glance at them curiously.

The short blond waited a whole minute before speaking up again, giving Yuu enough time to collect himself, knowing quite well where the raven’s panic originated from. When he tried to continue on the topic, though, his voice was filled with determination. “I’m sorry, Yuu, but you have to either find a way to give each other a lot more of what you both need, or just tell everyone the true nature of your relationship and be free to spend your time the way it’s supposed to be.”

“I can’t.” Yuu’s soft pained voice startled the small diva, and he gave his raven friend the most encouraging and comforting smile he was capable of.

“What happened in the past was my fault, Yuu. You can’t know how the people here would react, especially since you’re both so likable and also not harming anyone.”

Yuu’s memories flooded his mind to the point where he felt his eyes watering, and Takanori felt even more worried about his friend, wondering if it was a good idea to pressure him this early. Every memory of Yuu’s past was a stab of poison in his chest, one he didn’t know the antidote of and was eating him inside, always reminding him of a cruelty he never thought he would experience in his life. It had marked him in so many ways, Yuu felt suffocated every time he tried to fight it all. The panic and fear overwhelming him every time he thought of coming out to everyone was something his body and mind were unable to handle, no matter how hard he tried. He felt weak… and vulnerable… and he hated himself for it,  _ so much. _

“Okay…” Takanori spoke again, smiling soothingly at his raven friend. “Let’s just give you time. It’s still too early for such discussions, right?”

Yuu’s lips were quick to curve with matching warmth, seeing how understanding his friend was, still reading him like an open book without fail. “I’m sorry. It has crossed my mind before, I just… I need time.”

“I know.” The smile on the diva’s face warmed up Yuu even more and he felt his nerves gradually easing up. That was until another smirk appeared on Takanori’s face and the blond was speaking up again. ”That means you have to  _ really  _ spend more private time like a real couple.” The dirty look on the smaller student’s face was back to tease the raven, Yuu feeling hot and embarrassed even before hearing his next words. “You have to loosen up and let your raging hormones do their job.”

“But… where? It’s not like we can book a hotel, you know.”

“I can think of at least ten places at school where you can be nasty with each other and no one will find out.”

Yuu was panicking again, but his distress was in completely different nature this time.

“At school?! Are you crazy?!”

“If you’re that scared, I can test those places first and tell you how they worked out...”

Yuu wasn’t breathing and didn’t reply, for he was rendered speechless again. The sound announcing the end of their lunch break served as a much needed distraction, though, and Yuu was able to snap out of his daze and quickly leave the cafeteria, following the small student and trying hard to forget about his lewd proposition, despite the images that began popping up in his mind.

~

"Kouyou, you're so fuckin' lucky to have a cute tutor. I'd rather die than get help from that wrinkly old hag ever again."

A snort escaped the president's nostrils as he plopped down onto the outside bench beside his best friend, whom he hadn't seen since their early-morning classes. At lunch, Akira had sent him a text about having to get help with science, as the nose-banded senior was struggling to get even a passing grade; and, well, Kouyou couldn't help but feel pity for his best friend, as well as an ounce (okay, maybe a few ounces) of pride at the thought of having scored Yuu as his tutor for the subject he struggled most in—whilst Akira had, unfortunately, been forced under the nasty gaze of the cranky senior science teacher who smelled like cats and loneliness.

"Yeah, I guess I am pretty lucky," Kouyou hummed thoughtfully, the corner of his lip upturned in a playful smirk, "but damn, can it be distracting sometimes. How am I supposed to think about the inverse of a parabola when all I can focus on is shoving something... a little more  _ linear  _ in those pretty lips of his?"

The look of utter shock on Akira's face at the naughty implication had Kouyou bellowing with laughter again, which sent an elbow belonging to Akira jabbing into Kouyou's ribs.

"Too much information, dude!" Akira spluttered, his face red—because Kouyou's shamelessness in the way he flaunted Yuu like he did had the senior's mind drifting elsewhere, to a certain younger boy that hadn't been able to leave his thoughts no matter what he did.

Takanori.

"Kouyou..." He should tell Kouyou, shouldn't he? If anything, he may be able to give advice, because he, too, was once a confused straight guy, and from one confused straight guy to another, maybe he would understand.

Still caught up in chuckles, Kouyou merely hummed, urging his friend to continue, but the change in atmosphere told him that something a little bit more serious was about to happen—and looking over at Akira who had his hands in his lap, gazing down at them with furrowed eyebrows, the president knew something deeper was going on.

"Akira? What's up?"

Taking in a deep breath before scanning their surroundings to make sure no other students were around to eavesdrop, Akira murmured, "Takanori. That's what's up." Straight to the point, Akira just wanted to get it over with.

Tilting his head, Kouyou raised an eyebrow at his best friend. He was able to sense that whatever was going on was troubling Akira, and it wasn't too difficult to guess what it was—but he wanted to hear his friend say it. "Takanori? What about him?"

"I... invited him over last night, and some shit happened," Akira confessed, crossing his arms and gazing to the sky, avoiding his best friend's curious gaze. "Needless to say, I definitely get where you were coming from when you were confused about liking Yuu."

Kouyou would be a total liar if he said he didn't see something happening between his best friend and Takanori, and the news didn't take him by surprise. Not until...

_ Wait. _

"Akira."

"Hm?"

"Did you fuck Takanori last night?"

And there Akira was, once again red-faced and spluttering as he elbowed Kouyou in the ribs. "What the fuck, Kouyou?!" the blond managed to wheeze out, "no, I didn't fuck him! And now isn't the time to be joking about that shit, either." Jesus, what had gotten into Kouyou?

Oh, right. Hot boyfriend and constant sexual frustration.

"Christ, ouch! I'm sorry, I was just asking!" Kouyou defended, punching Akira in the shoulder in return for the rib-jab. Even Kouyou was confused, now; because if anything, he expected those two to mess around a bit, for Akira to experiment with his sexuality. But something more? Kouyou didn't know how his best friend would handle something more with another guy, and he didn't want Akira to unintentionally hurt Takanori because of it. "Tell me, then. What happened last night?"

Having calmed down from his outburst, Akira sighed, avoiding his friend's gaze again. "I invited him over because I wanted to talk. Because goddammit, I feel something for him, but I'm as confused as you were with Yuu, if not more." When Kouyou nodded in understanding, Akira continued. "So we talked about it, and we're, y'know, going to try it and see where it goes."

Leaning back against the bench, Kouyou let out a breath. This could be dangerous—he remembered how badly Takanori had reacted back at the bar that one night, and the president wasn't sure he wanted to see what more that feisty diva could do if Akira were to do something to hurt him. Because—god love him—Akira was _ stupid, _ especially when it came to relationships; he had always been the kind of guy to have a quick fuck and move on, with his past girlfriends never lasting more than a month.

And as raunchy as Takanori may be, Kouyou pegged him to be the opposite. He seemed like the kind of guy to want a relationship. What if Akira couldn't give him that?

"Akira... man. Are you sure about this? Takanori is a lot to handle—"

"I'm positive," Akira interrupted, not wanting to be subjected to a lecture, and to prove his point further, he spilled some more of the dirtier details from their previous night. "Kou, he offered me a fucking blowjob last night and I didn't take it."

...Akira denying a blowjob? What planet were they on?

"We kissed, too. We were sober. It wasn't another drunk kiss," the senior said, and Kouyou could only help but let out another sigh. Maybe Akira was serious. "I know he's a lot to handle, but believe me when I say I like him."

With sombre eyes, Kouyou glanced at his best friend, studying his features. They were soft, and Kouyou could sense a change in Akira and the way he spoke about the short blond boy. He seemed genuine enough, so who was Kouyou to deny his best friend’s happiness?

"So I promised him we wouldn't do anything sexual until I proved myself worthy. Which is why I'll be taking him on a date after school," the senior boasted, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest. "I think he'll really like it."

To see Akira so determined allowed Kouyou's tense shoulders to relax, and he smiled at his best friend...

...Before his jaw went slack at Akira's next sentence. 

"But when we do fuck, I'll need you to give me some pointers. It goes in the butt, obviously, and I've done anal with chicks before, but is it different with a dude?"

"Now is not the time, Akira."

"Okay, okay, but seriously... Taka's so small, I don't want to hurt him—"

"Aki, not now, Jesus Christ," Kouyou laughed, although surprised by how comfortable Akira seemed to be at the idea of having sex with a guy. He didn't seem nervous, which was the biggest first step into a successful relationship with Takanori—because that feisty thing was anything but. "Tell me how your date goes. You've got me rooting for you two."

"My best friend is the best!" Akira draped his arm over Kouyou's shoulder playfully, laughing as he did so. With all of that out of the way, Kouyou remembered what he was supposed to tell Akira earlier.

"By the way, my sister came home this morning. I told her about Yuu and she's going to help us convince my bastard of a dad that Yuu and I are happy together."

Akira's eyes instantly brightened up at the news. "No way, Aiko's here? I haven't seen her in years!" Akira always was a fan of Kouyou's older sister; he thought of her like extended family, as Aiko had spent so much time raising Kouyou as a kid, and Akira had spent a lot of his time with them. "I wanna see her before she goes. And good luck with your dad, but with her here, you guys are sure to win. She's a beast."

Chuckling, Kouyou rolled his eyes. "Yeah, she is pretty badass. We'll have to plan a meeting. Maybe I can invite her to a band practice? I'd like her to meet Takanori and Yutaka, too."

"That'd be awesome," Akira grinned, a light in his eyes that even made Kouyou smile. "Hey, speak of the devil."

To their left, exiting the school, were Yuu and Takanori. Akira called them over, and Kouyou's face brightened as he laid eyes upon his beautiful raven beau; he had yet to deliver the news of his sister and that their date would have to be postponed, but he believed Yuu would take the news well.

Beside him, Akira stood up, his hands in his pockets as Takanori walked over to him. The small diva had a smirk on his face, as he always did, but it seemed to be one of excitement; anticipation for their date.

"Ready, Taka?" Akira asked, and Takanori merely shrugged his shoulders in an attempt to play off his excitement coolly.

"I guess I am. Better be good."

"You two have fun," Kouyou chuckled, sending a wink Akira's direction, spotting his sister's vehicle rolling up to the school. He really hoped for the best for Akira and Takanori; they deserved it. 


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HERE, HAVE SOME REITUKI ((FINALLY!!))

Takanori seemed calmer than usual today, ringing many alarms in Akira’s head; the senior tried desperately to distract himself with something, anything, as he drove calmly down the road, chewing on his lip. The senior was nervous, which was something completely new and totally uncharacteristic for himself. Takanori was so different from all of the people he had ever met in his life, from his attitude to his talented voice and sense of fashion. The tiny little diva was gorgeous: his soft skin, his eyes sparkling with a certain confidence that sent Akira into frenzy of emotions every time, and he wondered what this sorcery was that pulled him like a magnet to the smaller student. Takanori, however, wasn’t speaking, and that worried Akira further, despite the little smile curving the younger’s lips. 

The taller blond was silent and he found himself unable to begin a conversation for the first time in his life.

He was absolutely convinced Takanori had cast a spell on him, because he couldn’t recognize himself anymore.

“Um… before we reach the place I wanted to show you… do you wanna grab some drinks and food… or...”

Takanori quickly turned his head to look at him, pondering for an answer before smirking again.

“Whatever you want. You’re the one making this happen.”

Akira gulped, realizing the boy was giving him this freedom on purpose, and the senior quickly pulled the car into the parking lot of a store nearby. He didn’t let the diva follow him inside, though. Once he was done shopping, Akira quickly returned to the car, not letting Takanori take a glance at the goodies as they were back on the road just seconds later.

The awkwardness surrounding them was horrible, though, and Akira sighed, giving in and making a poor attempt to start a conversation.

“How was school today?”

Takanori looked at him with a raised eyebrow, leading Akira to realize how stupid that question was… but it was too late to even try and mask it with something dumb or carefree.

“If you want, we can talk about the weather. That’ll be less awkward.”

Akira couldn’t help but snort, even though he felt utterly embarrassed. He was growing nervous and also angry at himself by that point.

“It’s just weird,” he began, eyes focused on the road, his voice low and a bit raspy. “I’ve never been on a date with a boy.”

“I’m still human you, know.” Takanori teased him yet again. “I’m not an alien.”

“You’re different to me.” Akira turned serious then, and Takanori didn’t reply this time. “I promised you I’d treat you differently, but… I didn’t know I was so emotionally unprepared.”

“Is that… your way of telling me you’re confused?”

The short boy was too smart for his own good, but Akira was relieved. At least he understood him.

“I’m confused but I know one thing for sure.” The senior took a breath and smiled after seeing they were almost at the place Akira was so desperate to show to the little blond next to him. “I like you. I like you a lot.”

As soon as those words left his lips, Akira felt even more relieved, and wasn’t surprised to see the red tint appearing on the younger’s cheeks just seconds later. It made him feel as though he were the one with the upper hand for the first time that day, and a sudden surge of confidence charged his heart.

“I hope to see more of that blush tonight.”

“Only if I see you sweat over this.”

“I’m already sweating from how nervous I am,” Akira chuckled and Takanori’s cheeks turned redder indeed. “I also like it when I manage to shut that big mouth of yours.”

_ “Akira.” _ Takanori’s voice was almost scolding, now, and the senior chuckled yet again.

The rest of their ride was spent in silence, but only this time was it full of content. They were both calmer, enjoying one another’s presences as minutes rolled by. It didn’t take long until they reached the lake near their city and Takanori’s astonishment was very evident, the senior laughing genuinely at him.

“You didn’t expect this, didn’t you?”

“Just shut up and get out of the car, Akira.”

With a chuckle, Akira turned the key and slowed the roaring engine of his sporty car to a stop. Takanori could sense the senior looking at him from his spot in the driver's seat, but the short blond was much too busy crossing his arms and faking a pout—to mask his astonishment, that was, because this was not at  _ all  _ what Takanori had expected.

A voice suddenly pierced his thoughts, and it wasn't until he heard Akira speak did he realize that the taller blond had already exited the vehicle. "Come on, I didn't take you all the way out here to have you sit in the car all night," he teased before shutting the driver's side door, but Takanori remained frozen in his seat, beginning to take in the exquisite scenery as he watched Akira walk around the front of the car over to the passenger side, opening the door for the diva. "M'lady."

Shaking his head to clear the blush threatening to break out over his cheeks, Takanori snorted before responding. "Don't 'm'lady' me, Bird Brain."

"Bird Brain? I thought I was being quite the gentleman," Akira chuckled again, standing aside as to let Takanori exit the vehicle—and when he did, his jaw went slack as the fresh air and refreshing breeze circled around his frame and invaded his lungs, an invigorating change from the stale city air. The greenery was all Takanori could see as he glanced around, with tall trees providing shade in various areas, grass and other shrubs, even flowers, beautifully decorating the area. But the pièce de résistance was the strong clashing of the various blue hues from the sparkling lake ahead of them, the sand under his shoes and the shining sun up above them. The composition of the area stole Takanori's breath, and it wasn't until he heard Akira shut the door behind him did he realize he had zoned out, completely engrossed in the beauty of nature.

"Aki," Takanori murmured, stepping further onto the beach, spotting a picnic table nearby and the small waves crashing against the shoreline. The lake was small; he could see the other side and all of the stones and trees it housed, which made it all the more breathtaking. "This... this..."

"Yes?" The taller blond urged, smirking as he did so, draping his arm around Takanori's shoulder and pulling him close—which sent Takanori shivering as a whole load of butterflies were sent free in his stomach.

Still breathless and in shock, it took the diva a few moments to speak his next sentence as he rejuvenated and recalled his quick-minded abilities, unable to resist pushing Akira's buttons whenever possible. "Thought you'd take me to a fancy restaurant, considering you're rich as hell."

Akira snorted, hugging Takanori closer. "And I thought you'd say that. Hope this is fancy enough for you."

In the next moment, a bottle of expensive Jack Daniel's was being pulled out of a paper bag and being shoved into Takanori's hand, which he fumbled with for a moment before he steadied himself and studied the content of the object in his hands.

"Jesus Christ, Akira..." Takanori's brows rose and he peeked up at the taller blond, who was wearing a prideful smirk at the reaction of the shorter. Such an Akira thing to do...

Or was it? All of this, Takanori was in such shock, he didn't know what to think. There was certainly more to Akira than Takanori had originally perceived; and maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as stupid as he lead on.

Because of course Takanori expected the date to be fancy and expensive from a rich boy trying to impress him—but that was the easy route.

Akira didn't take the easy route.

Maybe, just maybe, Akira was worth it.

"Well, what are you waiting for? I didn't take you all the way out here and buy you an expensive bottle of liquor to have you stand there holding it." The low, lulling sound of Akira's voice slowly pulled Takanori out of his wonder, and he was, once again, awed by the reality of the situation. He blinked, his ears picking up the sweet songs of chirping birds and the calming hush of water lapping at the shoreline, before dropping his gaze, realizing he'd been staring at Akira whilst lost in thought. The diva cleared his throat, a blush budding at his cheeks as a result of the senior's usual, playful behaviour—because now, it was affecting him in new ways that made his heart flip.

Thank god for the oversized sunglasses he was wearing.

Because now, Takanori could say, without hesitation, that his feelings towards Akira were of an unstoppable power; he couldn't stop liking him even if he tried. No matter how dumb, nor straight—the date had barely started, and the short blond knew that the taller one had taken great steps in the direction of proving himself.

Takanori wouldn't fess up to that, though. Not yet!

With a grunt, the diva was hugging the bottle of liquor to his chest, careful not to drop it as he walked forward, the feeling of grass under his shoes a welcomed one, before eventually he made it onto sand—and, unable to resist the call, he was quick to remove his shoes and set them aside so he could feel the warm, soft sand underneath his toes, for what felt like the first time in forever.

"Nice, isn't it?" Akira's familiar, low voice entered Takanori's ears once more, "it seems like we rarely find time to get out of the city. We always forget what's out there."

"Yeah..." was all Takanori could say, his quick wits on momentary shut-down. He then spotted a picnic table nearby, and went off to set the bottle in his arms down beside it, in the shade. When he walked back to Akira, the senior had a big, goofy grin on his face, and for the first time ever, Takanori didn't feel the need to insult him about it.

Instead, he could only evoke a squeak of surprise when the taller blond was wrapping his strong arms around Takanori's thin waist again, pulling him close against his body—and Takanori wordlessly accepted the advance.

"Come on, Taka. Speak to me," Akira chuckled, peering down at the little blond in his hold.

Allowing a soft smile to take over his features, Takanori sighed contentedly. "You've really outdone yourself. This place..." he glanced around again, the sun shining onto his face as he took in the greenery and the calming sounds of nature, "is amazing. I didn't think you had it in you."

"Have I proved myself, then? Am I more than the stupid straight guy you once thought I was?"

"Don't think so highly of yourself yet," Takanori snapped, "but... you're getting there."

Akira laughed again, and the low rumbles in his chest had Takanori lulling off again. "That's all I wanted to hear. Come on," he urged, giving Takanori one last rub on his back before pulling away, "the water looks warm."

"I didn't bring a swimsuit..."

"You don't need one. Just hoist your pant legs up," Akira instructed, taking hold of his own jeans and rolling them up, "or, if you're feeling daring, we could just go skinny dipping."

"Akira! You wish!"

~

Some playful splashing, some nature exploring and a few alcoholic shots for Takanori later, the two blond boys were now seated at the picnic table, Akira's arm around Takanori's waist as the shorter boy found solace in the senior's muscular, warm side. The sun was starting to set, the previously bright colours of the water, trees and grass now set to a paler, orange hue, as the boys simply enjoyed each other's presences, swapping stories and laughs and, most importantly, a great time.

Akira had just finished telling Takanori about the time he met Kouyou's dog for the first time; the damn thing bit him and pissed on his shoe.

"He warmed up to me quickly, though. I think that dog loves me more than he loves Kou."

A bout of chuckles escaped Takanori then. "Alright, mister Dog Whisperer. Let's see how you fare around Koron."

"Your dog?"

"No, my dick. Yes, my dog!" Takanori laughed in a tipsy haze, playfully slapping Akira on the thigh—and with Akira's arms around him, did he realize that he never wanted tonight to end. He'd never felt so at home, so comfortable with someone before. Fuck, he had it bad...

"Hey, don't laugh at me! I was just making sure..."

"If you're going to date me, you'll have to get used to it. You'll be my prime victim," Takanori sneered, a cheeky smirk on his full lips. Akira gazed down at him, his features softened by the glow of the sunset, and his smile in return had Takanori shivering.

"It's a risk I'm willing to take. I really, really like you, Taka." And goddamn, was the genuinity in Akira's eyes as clear as the sky had been during their date—not a cloud in the sky, not a trace of fear nor uncertainty in his gaze.

"Just kiss me, will you?"

That twinkle of purity in Akira's soft gaze didn't dissipate even when he was obliging to the little diva's request, and Takanori nearly moaned when their mouths came into much-desired contact—but the kiss wasn't that of lust, it was one of romance, the same hue as the sunset they were bathed in; alone in nothing but one another's company and the choirs of nature. Akira didn't dare to touch Takanori inappropriately, but he did hold the shorter boy close, tightly, and Takanori could feel the warmth radiating off of Akira's toned body, the heat of his skin almost that of their kiss, lips moving slowly, only the slightest teases of tongue; it was everything Takanori could have asked for, and  _ more. _

Even after the kiss broke, Takanori was in a daze; stunned and shaken by this enigma of a man he'd fallen so, so damn hard for, unable to move a muscle as his lips tingled and his entire body was set ablaze.

"Akira..."

"Hm?"

"Don't... don't want this to end..." And then his body was being held even tighter as Akira hugged him close, not speaking, but conveying a message that Takanori understood. _ It doesn't have to. _

~

The time the boys had spent together was precious to them both. It was already moderately dark when they finally decided to take off and return to the city, despite that neither of them wanted the evening to end. Takanori seemed much calmer and soft spoken, especially after the kiss they had shared, and Akira was feeling content as he kept the boy curled up in his arms, Takanori feeding off of his warmth as it kept radiating from the fire in his heart. 

The senior never felt so calm himself, what with their current setting being completely different from what he was used to; but it was relaxing and comforting, nonetheless. He found himself so emerged in the moment that he didn’t notice the soft ringing of his phone until he was back in the driver’s seat of his sports car, Takanori seated in the passenger one with warm smile splattered on his face.

The notification sound was faint, but Akira still noticed it once it echoed in the stillness surrounding them and, as much as he didn’t want to, the taller boy peeled away his stern, wanting gaze from the grinning diva, only to see that Yutaka had sent him a message—a rather concerned and panicked one, at that.

“Wow.” He sighed and looked at the short boy next to him. “Yutaka’s flipping his shit because you didn’t go home after school.”

And just like that, the smile on Takanori’s face was wiped off within seconds. “Fuck…” he cursed and averted his eyes overcome with guilt. “I forgot to tell him.”

He quickly took out his phone from his jacket and started typing, Akira pulling the car out onto the road as he drove back to the city.

Takanori kept sighing next to him and it weighed on Akira’s heart a little—so much so that he had to open his mouth with a pout and startle the little blond. “What does he want?”

“I’m trying to explain to him he’s invading my privacy and I didn’t have to tell him shit.”

Akira chuckled at that. “But I can invade it as much as I want, I hope.”

“You need a special pass for that,” Takanori snorted, resuming his fast typing.

“I thought my application was approved.” The senior frowned then, and Takanori chuckled even louder and more viscously before he spoke.

“You didn’t really think only one date would do it, right?”

Akira couldn’t help but smile in return, his eyes fixated on the road as he tried hard to suppress the urge to turn around and wipe off the smaller one’s cockiness with another gentle, yet breathtaking kiss.

“I wonder how many dates until I break that confidence of yours...”

Takanori raised his eyebrows in astonishment then. “Be careful what you wish for, Akira.”

Another chuckle left the senior’s lips and he couldn’t hide his smile for the rest of their ride, not until they reached Akira’s expensive neighbourhood prior to taking off to Takanori’s.

“Oh, stop the car after the lights; I have to get Koron something and there was a store right there,” the short blond enquired, to which Akira was quick to oblige.

He didn’t miss the opportunity to stare at the smaller boy’s thighs and butt as he got out of the car, walking to the pet store with that trademark swish of his hips.

God, Akira was in serious trouble—the fire reigniting in his pants was evident and the attraction he felt towards Takanori was blossoming in a way that was almost alarming. Never once did he think he would be in such a situation: lusting after someone as cute yet suggestive as Takanori. It sent his feelings into a frenzy he hadn’t anticipated, and Akira realized he hadn’t eyed a girl in weeks—at least not like he was used to. Takanori truly was something, and maybe…  _ just  _ maybe, Kouyou’s discovery about his orientation had influenced Akira, or at least broken his boundaries and allowed him to see a certain aspect of himself with wider, much more open eyes than ever before. And indeed, his sexuality turned out much more surprising than he originally thought it would be. The way Takanori made him feel ever since he entered his life was foreign, yet  _ so  _ intriguing to the senior; he wasn’t scared anymore, and felt content as his mind grew flooded with memories of Takanori’s sensation on his lips. 

The tall student was soon completely lost in his thoughts, but that didn’t prevent him from noticing a certain black vehicle pulling off the road and making a stop right in front of his own car.

As soon as Kouyou’s father came out of it, Akira’s breath hitched in his throat. His eyes widened and his smile dissipated as the senior pondered for the reason behind this man’s appearance  _ here  _ of all places. And as the man headed for the pet store, it suddenly dawned on Akira—he was probably fetching Shiro’s food.

And the small diva was still nowhere to be seen.

Akira didn’t think twice then as he exited his car in a flash and quickly walked to the store, following Kouyou’s father footsteps. As he got inside, the senior glanced around frantically as he searched for the short diva, and thankfully his eyes were able to spot him at the other end of the store.

He walked over with a quick pace of his feet, making sure the tall man didn’t notice him—and as he finally reached the short blond, Akira caught him by the wrist and yanked him closer.

“We have to go,” Akira whispered in his ear then, and as he spun around, ready to leave as quickly as he had barged in, he found himself frozen in his spot, eyes meeting the cold, mocking gaze of a certain father he was desperate to escape.

Takanori seemed to recognize the man because the boy was quickly shifting in his spot beside the senior, reluctant to hide from the man’s… quite scrutinizing gaze.

“Hello, Mr. Takashima.” Akira tried to fake a smile then, and the man’s attention was quickly drawn to the short blond behind him, who shifted again nervously.

“Hello, Akira.” He nodded, a small frown forming on his face. “And you are...”

The short blond then made a step forward—full of hesitation—and his voice was uncharacteristically soft as he spoke.

“I’m Matsumoto Takanori, Mr. Takashima.”

“He’s our vocalist… you know Kouyou must have told you about the band, right Sir?” Akira grinned in desperate attempt to lift up the mood but his voice fell on deaf ears, the man looking up and down the shorter student.

The diva seemed to be intimidated by and, dare Akira say, even  _ scared  _ of the tall man standing in front of them, but he couldn’t blame him since Kouyou’s father has proven to be quite frightening and had a malicious aura serving him well in front of his prey—which was exactly what the senior felt like right now.

“You are also a new student, I see.” He spoke lowly and Takanori pressed his figure closer to Akira’s without realizing it, making the senior flinch. The man quickly noticed that, his frown deepening, and the taller student felt panic send his skin ablaze. He couldn’t imagine what was going through the man’s mind right now but he was scared, especially since he had already discovered Yuu’s true nature of affections towards his son. What if he was able to see right through Akira and Takanori’s new bond, as well...

“You are the boy who moved from Shiroyama Yuu’s prefecture.” The man spoke lowly again, but poison was dripping from each word of his sentence and Takanori trembled beside Akira who felt absolutely helpless and useless. He couldn’t believe it, but he was absolutely stunned and unable to move or say anything, the man’s voice turning the blood in his veins ice cold.

“Yes, Mr. Takashima.” Takanori was obviously afraid, and that made anger rise inside of the senior’s chest as he felt a surge of confidence within him. 

“He and Yuu studied atthe same high school.” He said and then the man’s eyes turned dark, and Akira knew it was all clear to Kouyou’s father now.

“I see that place seems to be producing one and the same type of people.”

And then the senior faked another smile before speaking again. “Yes, very talented people. Our school is happy to have them here. We should be going now, Mr. Takashima. See you soon.”  _ But hopefully not. _

And without sparing a second glance at the man, Akira quickly took the route to the exit, leaving the store while having the small blond trailing behind him.

As soon as they got inside of the car, Akira exhaled heavily, not realizing he was actually holding in a breath earlier that was let out as soon as Kouyou’s father was no longer in sight. The senior managed to send a reassuring and comforting smile Takanori’s way, but he also felt the lingering fear as he kissed the boy goodbye right before he exited the car and entered inside of his house. He didn’t expect such a turn of events tonight and Akira was scared, questions spinning in his head involving not only the small diva, but the terrifying man they had encountered as well. And as the student took off to his own home, he made a mental note to speak with Kouyou first thing in the morning at school. 


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> read until the end, there are important notes

Kouyou watched with a bittersweet fondness as his best friend and his new beau left the premise, but the feeling was soon swept away by his own beau’s presence beside him. Yuu was mindlessly twirling the tip of his finger in a strand of his raven hair, entranced by the shininess and reflection of the warm sunlight just as Kouyou was; the taller boy gazed with a familiar softness in his eyes and in his heart, his facial features and body relaxing as he circled in his focus onto his pretty boyfriend. It was with an innocent upward glance from Yuu that had Kouyou’s demeanor changing quickly, his eyes darkening slightly as he focused his attention on Yuu’s slightly pouted, soft lips instead; the corners curled up ever so slightly as the raven caught the other’s gaze, sending an inconspicuous wink his way as followed by an airborne kiss.

“You tease,” Kouyou murmured, his own lips curling into a soft smirk.

“Possibly.” 

The fleeting, sweet moment was enough to distract Kouyou momentarily, but not long enough for him to forget the news he had planned to give Yuu. He sighed. 

“Um… we had a change of plans." Waving down the expensive car pulling into the school’s entrance—the vehicle looking much like his own—Kouyou noticed Yuu lift an eyebrow in confusion at him, to which the senior could do nothing but reluctantly confess the situation. 

"We're going to have to postpone the date. I promise I'll make it up to you as soon as I can."

"Why? What's going on?" 

"My sister, Aiko, is in town. She's picking us up." Just as the expensive car rolled up beside them, the senior broke into a huge grin, unable to contain his excitement and forgetting his and Yuu's conversation as the driver's side door opened momentarily after. What emerged from the open door was a beautiful young woman, almost a carbon copy of Kouyou but in the opposite sex; the same, full lips, facial structure and kind, dark eyes; her stature tall and lithe, carrying herself with confidence much like the senior did. Her hair was dark, natural—unlike Kouyou's dyed, blond locks—but the siblings still remained so similar in looks, it would be impossible to see them as anything but.

"Ai-chan!"

"Kou!!"   
Like magnets, the two siblings had collided in a crushing hug, the woman ruffling Kouyou's hair as the senior held her tight. It was as though Kouyou was a child once more, in the arms and care of his ever-loving sister; she always brought him the most comfort, and the senior had to hold back his teary eyes from spilling as a result of the waves of emotions washing over him all at once.

Aiko was here, and she was going to help them.

"Look at how much my little brother has grown!" Aiko exclaimed with a bright smile, still held hostage by Kouyou's tight grip, "but no matter how big you get, you'll always be the cute little boy who used to braid my hair."

"Ai-chan, don't embarrass me so soon," the senior complained, reluctantly peeling away from the loving embrace, "not before I introduce you to the one I've been dying for you to meet. Aiko, meet Yuu, my boyfriend. Yuu, my sister."

Aiko let out a gasp, her hands covering her mouth as she laid eyes upon the boy Kouyou had spoken so fondly to her about, before she enveloped him into a tight hug, as well. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Yuu!" she grinned, pulling away. "I finally get to see Kou's lovely beau. And lovely he is indeed! Kouyou, you scored!"

"Ai-chan, calm down..."

"Sorry, sorry. It really is nice to finally meet you," the woman smiled, resorting to a more formal handshake, to which Yuu chuckled at.

"It's nice to meet you too. Kouyou's told me a lot about you."

"Has he? Well, over some coffee I can share some stories of my own in return," she smirked, side-eyeing Kouyou in a way that had the senior cowering.

"Please don't."

"Get in the car, you two! We have a lot to catch up on," Aiko grinned excitedly, making her way into the driver's side, which left Kouyou and Yuu no choice but to climb into the car as well—after Kouyou sent Yuu a reassuring glance, lowering his voice to a whisper before he spoke.

"She means well, and she's here to help. Things are going to look up for us, Yuu. I promise."

The trio ended up at a small coffee shop that Kouyou and Aiko frequented when they were younger, and upon entry, the delightfully bitter, at-home smell of various caffeinated beverages hit Kouyou like an emotional freight train; he hadn't visited this place since his sister left for university, and he instantly felt like the young boy he once was. Succumbed to nostalgia, both Yuu and Aiko had to tug him towards the front counter, and out of his daze.

"It's been so long since I've been here," the senior confessed once the three ordered their beverages and had found a secluded table, and Aiko rubbed his back in the familiar comfort he always yearned for.

"Me too. And now we're back, sharing it with your partner!" the woman exclaimed, and Kouyou couldn't help but chuckle shyly before letting his hand drop to hold Yuu's underneath the table. Yuu flinched, but accepted the gesture, to Kouyou's delight. The senior let his thumb rub soothing circles over the back of the raven's hand, and Yuu sent him a shy smile in return.

_ We'll be okay, Yuu. _

_ Yeah, we will be. _

~

Catching up with Aiko after so long had Kouyou feeling content, and although he noticed Yuu was still a little wary, he kept holding his hand and reassuring him as the conversations went on, even urging the raven to contribute; when he did, Kouyou felt nothing but love and pride for his boyfriend, and it was clear that Aiko was gracing them with her utmost support. The senior could see his sister was genuinely happy for him, and to have that family connection once again after so long moved him to great emotional lengths. The woman talked so casually, so comfortably that Kouyou and even Yuu felt at home with her as they swapped stories and shared laughs. Aiko first pressed them about how they met and how things came to be, which both boys were a little shy about sharing—but once they did, Kouyou felt an immense weight lift off his shoulders, especially at the smile that never left Aiko's face once, and she'd laugh whenever Kouyou embarrassed Yuu with a quick kiss or affectionate gesture—the senior even daring to lick some of the latte foam off of Yuu's lips at one point.

The woman shared some of her own stories about university life, her studies and the occasional parties that _ ‘you will not tell dad about under any circumstance!’. _ Kouyou listened intently to every word, as did Yuu; the raven seemed comfortable in her presence, and that alone meant everything to Kouyou. He loved his sister and she was a huge part of his life; he wanted to share that with Yuu, another major part. So to see them getting along, Aiko talking to Yuu directly and Yuu easily responding, filled the senior's heart with comfort and love for them both.

...Especially when Aiko brought out the embarrassing childhood stories. As humiliating as it was for Kouyou to re-live his most embarrassing moments (like that one time he got into Aiko's makeup and gave himself a beautiful "makeover", or when his sister found him outside eating leaves because it would make him "big and strong, like a dinosaur!", or even the duck plushie he had as a child and loved more than life itself), it was refreshing to hear Yuu laugh and be so at peace.

"Kou, you were such a silly kid. I'm amazed you made it this far."

"Hey, I was a  _ child!" _

"But you were so talented, too. In your guitar playing, and even your hairstyling. Oh, please tell me you've practiced that on Yuu! He's got the most gorgeous hair!" Aiko grinned, and although Yuu shied away from the compliment, Kouyou agreed.

"He does, and I've done his hair quite a few times," the senior said, although his styling abilities were still something he was slightly self-conscious about.

Luckily, Yuu's phone going off beside him proved to be a quick distraction—but upon glancing at the name at the screen, he wished it hadn't been the distraction he had gotten.

"Takanori? Why's he texting you?" Kouyou clutched the fork in his hand tightly, having ordered a dessert for the three of them to share—and Yuu quickly slid his phone back into his pocket.

"I don't know. It doesn't matter." 

"It kind of does, Yuu."

"Who's Takanori?" Aiko piped, taking a sip from her drink and then a bite of the dessert. Kouyou cringed at himself for letting his jealousy rear its ugly head in front of his sister, but luckily she saved the day right after. "Talk about it later. Let's go home. You're coming too, Yuu."

"...Okay," murmured the boys in unison.

~ 

As soon as the dessert was gone and they were all stuffed, the trio left the small coffee shop and got in Aiko’s car again, Yuu feeling reluctant as he got on the backseat next to his senior. Kouyou was smiling gently as he and his sister talked for a bit, laughing at something the raven was completely oblivious to as he observed his boyfriend, not missing the way his hands balled into fists. Kouyou was troubled again and Yuu knew the exact reason for it—yet he didn’t expect him to be that affected, and so soon, on top of it. It worried Yuu, and the younger couldn’t help but watch the senior closely, studying his every mannerism. The way Kouyou was avoiding looking at him made the raven shudder in his seat as memories flooded his mind, reminding him of that one time when they were positioned like this in another vehicle, Kouyou acting in the same sort of way before…

“Hey, Yuu, is everything alright? You went silent all of a sudden.” Aiko laughed, snapping Yuu out of his daze and the senior shifted uncomfortably, looking out the window and not daring to look at the younger again. It pained Yuu greatly to watch him like this and the boy tried to fake a smile, but failed miserably at it. 

Aiko sensed the tension forming in the air immediately.

“Is it because dad is at home?” She asked, obviously worried by the sudden change in the atmosphere and, despite that it wasn’t the reason for Yuu’s inner turmoil, the boy decided to nod and agree. “Don’t worry.” Yuu noticed her cheerfulness was back as she spoke again. “I know how to handle the old man, he can’t resist me. I just want him to get used to the idea of you two under the same roof. Our roof! It’ll be easier to break him after that.”

Kouyou chuckled next to him, drawing Yuu’s attention back on himself, but didn’t say anything and raven mimicked him, remaining silent as well. 

Thankfully, they arrived only a couple minutes later and, as they exited the car, Aiko threw one last, reassuring look at the boys before leading them inside the house.

Shiro was already in the hallway waiting for them and, upon seeing Kouyou, the dog was ecstatic in the way he wiggled his tail, squirming and nuzzling the senior’s hand with his head.

Once they were done removing their shoes and stepped further inside, Yuu felt chills run throughout his entire body. Memories tormented his mind again, the image of Kouyou’s furious father hunting him. Yuu felt so frightened all of a sudden, his breathing becoming erratic, making him feel nauseous when…

To his immense surprise, Kouyou’s fingers laced carefully with his, the gesture sending jolts of heat towards his heart and cheeks. He could feel the tickle on his skin... almost. 

He almost felt relieved but, as he searched for Kouyou’s eyes, he failed to reach them with his own and it was then the first crack appeared on the surface of his heart. 

He was frightened, and he didn’t know how to cope with it this time. 

Someone cleared their throat and Yuu quickly averted his gaze from the senior, regretting it quickly a second later as his eyes fell on the tall figure of a man he absolutely didn’t want to see right now.

Kouyou’s father looked tense, his eyes dark as he observed them, and Yuu didn’t even realize when his hand squeezed Kouyou’s tightly, desperate for any sort of comfort or support.

“Hi daddy!” Aiko was smiling just as wide, the woman moving closer to her father before hugging him and rubbing his shoulders in a soothing way afterwards. “We have a guest. Why the gloomy attitude?”

“What is he doing here?” The man completely ignored her cheerful advances and Yuu’s breath hitched.

The younger was panicking by the minute, the memories of their last encounter under this roof making him scream internally for help, but then Kouyou’s hand squeezed Yuu’s back just as tight.

And it was then the raven felt all of his confidence swooshing back.

“Hello, Mr. Takashima.” The words left his lips before the student was able to prepare or even process them. His voice was calm and collected all of a sudden and Kouyou shivered next to him.

“We’re going to my room to watch a movie—we won’t be bothering you with our presence.” Kouyou said calmly before Yuu felt the senior pulling at his hand, guiding him towards the stairs when the man moved in front of them, not letting them go any further.

“I thought I was clear when I said Shiroyama isn’t welcomed in this house.”

“Dad, don’t be rude.” Aiko said, clear irritation in her voice.

Yuu managed to catch a glimpse of hesitation in the man’s eyes then, and the boy couldn’t believe it… did this woman have an actual effect on him like Kouyou had mentioned in the past?

“Aiko, don’t interfere.” The man’s tone was slightly softer this time, giving the raven slight hope. 

“Dad, let the boys go. I need to talk to you.”

“Kouyou can go to his room, but Shiroyama better leave at once.”

“I will leave with the boy, then.”

Their father quickly looked at her and he seemed almost frightened, obviously not expecting such a turn of events. Aiko had managed to surprise him and catch him off guard, and Yuu saw how the man’s breathing quickened and eyes widened, probably not believing his ears.

His daughter looked confident, however, not breaking their eye contact as she spoke again, her voice stern with no sign of glee this time.

“You’re going to talk with me now or I can promise you you’ll break our already-thin bond forever.”

Deathly silence filled the space around them. Yuu felt breathless and suffocated by all of the feelings wrecking his whole being as he was unable to move nor speak in his spot. His eyes shifted between the three family members in front of him, desperate to see any sign of emotion that would tell him what to expect next. 

“Kouyou.” Their father finally broke the silence and Yuu felt the blond’s fingers trembling against his palm. “You can watch a movie in your room.”

Yuu couldn’t believe his ears. 

This didn’t sound like the cold-hearted man at all. 

It was so surreal to the raven, he didn’t even register his senior pulling at his hand as they finally ran up the stairs and were inside of his room a minute later.

Kouyou released the younger’s hand from the painful grip of his own and threw his backpack onto the floor, turning his back to Yuu, not letting the boy get a glance of his expression.

The raven was trembling slightly unable to move from his position near the door. Another silence instilled around them and Yuu was able to notice the faint sigh which escaped Kouyou’s lips little before the blond slowly ran his fingers through his soft strands of hair. It was a gesture full of many unspoken words, the light coming from outside through the windows contrasting on the senior’s dark form.

And it frightened Yuu with a new force, yanking him out of his stupor as another image of an angry Kouyou flashed before his eyes, planting even more insecurities into the younger’s head. This couldn’t be happening now of all times.

“Did you look at Takanori’s messages?” The blond broke the silence with his low, stern voice, causing Yuu to flinch.

“Why is it so important?” He asked and Kouyou sighed again. Yuu knew that the senior wasn’t planning on answering that question at all, therefore the boy gulped hard in a desperate attempt to swallow all that was suffocating him before he spoke again. “Please talk to me, Kou.”

Kouyou didn’t move nor make a sound, and Yuu’s patience almost ran out as he opened his mouth again, his voice raising.

“I ate lunch with him yesterday, but it wasn’t a problem then. What changed now?”

“Nothing.” 

The simple response didn’t satisfy Yuu at all.

“Could you please turn around and look at me while you’re talking to me.”

And again, the blond remained frozen and still like a statue, not moving from his position, his back facing the raven whose eyes were beginning to glisten.

“I’m sorry.” Kouyou spoke with a soft voice which felt soothing and yet so alarming to the teen behind him. “Please forget about this. I’ll handle it.”

The president turned around and Yuu’s heart almost shredded upon seeing the senior’s sad smile. The boy was able to study every ounce of the faked calmness and relief that Kouyou was showing him right now.

Yuu never felt more tricked and betrayed by someone’s expressions before.

And as the blond moved and finally reached him, his long fingers holding the younger’s chin gently as he spoke his next words, Yuu felt… angry.

“Forget it, kitten.”

“No.”

Kouyou was quickly leaning in, disregarding the younger’s protest, his lips brushing at Yuu’s little before the boy turned his face to the side, his skin going ablaze.

“We have to talk.” Yuu breathed, but even that didn’t reflect on the president, one of his hands circling around the raven’s waist pulling him close as his lips moved to the side of his neck.

“Stop it.” Yuu pulled away, his hands pushing the senior away from himself and, when their eyes met, Kouyous hurtful expression almost crushed the raven’s heart.

The blond didn’t stare at his boyfriend for long, though, his features slowly forming into shock before gradually easing in the hurtful expression he had moments ago.

As soon as the president pulled away completely, Yuu let out a sigh and watched in silence as Kouyou went to his bed and sat on it, looking defeated as his gaze locked on something on the other side of the window. The younger hesitated for a moment, not sure if he had the strength nor confidence to coax the senior in the much-needed conversation he pestered him about, but still made an attempt to calm himself and slowly walked over to the blond, dumping his own backpack next to the senior’s.

“It’s insecurities that make you jealous, am I right?”

“The more I try to ignore it, the more I end up thinking about it.” The senior was speaking in a low, troubled voice, his shoulders slouching as Yuu sat next to him, the raven’s eyes fixated on the president’s form.

“What is it that you keep thinking about?” The raven whispered in response, his hand finding Kouyou’s and gently holding it, making him shudder.

“That I wasn’t your first.” He answered, still avoiding Yuu’s glistening eyes.

“What do you mean?” The younger was genuinely confused and Kouyou sighed.

“You loved Takanori before me.”

“And I don’t love him anymore.” The raven assured him, but they both knew it wasn’t enough.

“When we were playing truth or dare with Akira… you said you hadn’t been in a relationship, but had kissed before. It didn’t bother me until you confirmed it was Takanori. He was your first best friend, he was your first love, he gave you your first kiss and I can see how much you care about him.” Kouyou’s voice was rushed and he had to take a breath before he spilled his last words. “I can’t stop comparing him to me and I always feel so… inferior. And especially after that night in the bar. Takanori’s charms were working on everyone and, for a moment, seeing you react so protectively over his and Akira’s situation, I couldn’t help but think that maybe his charms affected you then and can affect you again...”

“Kou,” Yuu began, his hand squeezing Kouyou’s as he spoke. “I think I’ve said it before, but... do you know how different you two are? It took me years to develop a crush on Takanori, while I fell for you from the first moment I saw you.”

Kouyou lifted his head at that and bit his lip in hesitation. 

Good. 

Yuu was finally making progress.

“And about that kiss… I don’t even remember it. I don’t remember our first kiss. I was intoxicated both times and, if you asked, the only real memory of a first kiss I would recall would be that kiss you gave me when you won that Mario Kart game against me.” Yuu made an attempt to smile and curved his lips, his eyes studying Kouyou’s reaction as the senior sighed yet again, but it was more like a sigh of relief. He nodded and, still avoiding the younger’s gaze, his fingers moved, letting Yuu’s slide between them and lace together in a gentle lock.

“I love you.” Kouyou’s voice came out as a whisper and Yuu couldn’t hold his smile as he leaned in, delivering a sweet peck to the senior’s temple. 

“I love you too.”

Kouyou turned his head to face his boyfriend again and Yuu studied the way the light danced upon the curves of his gorgeous features. Everything about the senior seemed so perfect, that even in his darkest times he was able to melt the raven, wreck him and rebuild him with his love all over again. It was something that made Yuu feel alive in so many ways.

Or it was simply because Kouyou had become Yuu’s world already.

And then something struck the younger’s mind, making his eyes go wide, astonishment splattering on his face a second later.

“What?” Kouyou’s eyebrows locked in a frown and Yuu grinned at him, standing up and grabbing his backpack. He opened it and retrieved his sketchbook, handing it over to the stunned senior who held it carefully in his hands.

“I’ve never done this to anyone before, you are my first.”

"Yuu..."

The senior could barely make out more than his boyfriend's name as he held the newly presented sketchbook in his hand, his eyes scanning the page it was opened to in incredible awe; his jaw a gape as he took in the content.

The pages were filled with drawings of... Kouyou.

Some of the most beautiful drawings he'd ever seen... were of himself.

Detailed portraits of various angles placed throughout the pages, expressions captured perfectly in pencil; it felt surreal, looking at such realistic portrayals sketched with so much visible passion behind them—and the detail, Kouyou couldn't believe his eyes. Yuu's skill was incredible, every smile line and strand of hair, every angle and curve—it was like looking at the reflection in a mirror.   
There were even sketches of the blond with Shiro, and others with Kiko; a few of him with his guitar, a plenty of handsome portraits. Kouyou allowed his fingers to grace over the surface of the paper, careful not to smudge the pencil, but to test and see and make sure that what was in front of him was  _ real. _

"Yuu, you drew these?" Kouyou whispered, his eyes glossing over as the reality of the situation came crashing over him like an ocean wave, his sensitive side getting the best of him and overpowering his ability to think about anything else but the sketchbook in his hand and the boy who drew the contents of it. Yuu gave a shy nod in response, and the blond's heart swelled with love, affection, and appreciation for Yuu and all that he was.

"I've never done this for anyone before," the raven repeated, letting his hand rest upon one of Kouyou's as the senior continued holding the sketchbook. The touch sent Kouyou shivering as he glanced up, inevitably meeting Yuu's pure, dark eyes, so filled with that some love, affection, and appreciation, that the blond couldn't help but let his gaze wander to the raven's lips. Before he could think about what he was doing, Kouyou was leaning his head forward to place his lips upon Yuu's own in a wordless exchange of uncountable emotions and overwhelming feelings.

"Yuu," the blond gasped, delicately shutting the sketchbook and setting it off to the side. His hand rested underneath one side of Yuu's jaw, holding him close as their kiss was broken, gazes locked. Yuu breathed heavily, as did Kouyou; the senior couldn't contain himself, and filtering his frenzied thoughts was impossible—especially when they had taken a sudden turn, and Kouyou's brows furrowed as his face went dark. "I need you now."

Before Yuu could respond, the senior was quickly pinning him to the bed, planting a knee on either side of the raven's hips to keep him secured, laying down on his back as Kouyou hovered above him. He held Yuu's wrists in one hand above his head, staring down into his now-widened, surprised eyes, his full lips parted as small, quick breaths entered and escaped.

"Aiko and your dad are downstairs... we can't—"

"We can. They think we're watching a movie, they won't bother us," Kouyou reassured, his voice taking up a lower, more intimidating tone as his hormones began to rage, and his need to be intimate with Yuu overpowering all else in his mind. It had been a while, and after the sketches just shown to him, Kouyou couldn't help but let his innermost desires take over. "Please."

Biting his lip, Yuu hesitated for a brief moment, turning his head away from Kouyou's heated gaze shyly. His face was up in red as he whispered his next word, "okay."

Permission now granted, the senior was eager to lower his head and catch Yuu's lips in a heated kiss, the younger boy already letting out soft moans as soon as Kouyou let his tongue part the other's lips and brush at his tongue. And so, through saliva and clumsy mouths, the boys eagerly fumbled to share their passion and their love through intimate contact. In the midst of it all, Kouyou couldn't help but lower his hips so his crotch met Yuu's, Yuu immediately moaning up into the blond's mouth as he felt his boyfriend's increasing hard-on make contact with his own through the fabrics of their uniform pants.

With a growl, Kouyou began to grind his hips into Yuu's as the need for touch became too much, the raven underneath him writhing and spreading his legs in order to feel  _ more. _ His lithe hands held Kouyou at the jaw once the senior had released them, holding him close and pulling him in for a deeper kiss—before taking up residence in his soft, golden locks, using it to ground him as the building pleasure and heat in his groin would increase. The action earned another low noise from the senior, grinding his crotch harder into Yuu's which elicited a string of breathier moans from the raven's full lips against his own. He could feel the friction between their erections driving them both towards the edge, and it had been so long since the fire of desire in Kouyou's abdomen was as strong as it was now.

Breathy moans and low grunts mixed in a choir of burning passion whilst Kouyou's hand traveled down the side Yuu's body, feeling the inward curve of his beautiful waist before it flared back out at his hips. The senior's own thighs and hips were preventing him from reaching Yuu's, and so reluctantly, and after giving a few rough grinds and thrusts with his pelvis against Yuu's own, Kouyou broke away from the messy makeout and backed off of Yuu's body.

Yuu remained in his spot on the bed, already on the path to debauchery as his lips parted and quick breaths escaped him. His eyes were half-lidded, focused on Kouyou whilst seeming like they were looking at nothing at all. The blond smirked at the sight as he stood beside the bed and tall above the raven boy laying on his back, legs slightly parted—but they still wore the annoying uniform, which Kouyou set out on removing immediately; beginning with the hems of Yuu's pants, the senior's fingers were swift as they hooked around the waistband and rid the raven of the pesky fabric. Underneath were his tight black boxers, hugging every curve of his hips as well as the bulge of his erection, which Kouyou preyed on with his dark gaze. Yuu cowered under it, lowering his hands to cover and hide his crotch, to which the senior smirked at.

"Don't hide from me, kitten," Kouyou murmured, grabbing Yuu's hips and pulling him closer towards the side of the bed, just enough so his ass was at the edge. The action evoked a surprised mewl from the younger boy, his legs lifting up before Kouyou pressed his pelvis against the raven's rear, his hands groping either side of the soft flesh. Yuu moaned at the contact, as did the senior, letting out low, hungry growls as he devoured his boyfriend's figure with his eyes, how his shirt had rode up to expose his soft, supple tummy, how his hair was splayed out beautifully underneath his head; or his eyes that were still telling of bliss, his full lips red from the harsh kisses and exchanges of raw passion.

But there were more important things the blond had to focus on, like ridding Yuu of the boxers—because as nice as they made his ass look, the real delicacies lay underneath; and so, much like the pants, Kouyou was taking the boxers by the hem and quickly removing them from the raven's body. Yuu tried to cover himself again, his cock now exposed as it lay upon his stomach and the tip already wet, but Kouyou swiftly caught both his wrists in one hand, holding them up and away from his privates.

And then he was getting down onto his knees, setting himself between Yuu's legs, and the boy let out small noises of confusion. When the blond released the other boy's wrists and took hold of his cock instead, Yuu's hips bucked in both surprise and need. He couldn't do more than let out soft moans at the touch of a hand encasing his bare erection, until a new sensation made his back arch and a loud cry escape his lips.

Kouyou smirked at the reaction, glancing up to see Yuu covering his mouth with his hand as he took his second lick at the head of the raven's cock.   
"Kou!" Yuu gasped, his hips twitching once more, "what are you..."

"Each and every part of you belongs to me, Yuu," Kouyou murmured, his eyes merely slits as he stared up at his prey from below. "Even this." And then the blond was sucking on Yuu's tip as his hand held the base, the other one keeping the boy's hips from bucking too harshly.

"Ah, Kou," Yuu breathed, his legs spreading wider as Kouyou took his cock in deeper, just barely breaking the seal of his lips as he sucked on the head. Even with an intrusion in his mouth, Kouyou smirked at Yuu's every reaction to the newfound pleasure he was delivering to his raven beau; and despite that he'd only done this once before, every lick and every twist of his wrist had Yuu moaning and writhing, in turn telling Kouyou without direct verbal appraisal that what he was doing was correct—or at least, pleasurable enough that Yuu was unable to do more than gasp and squirm under the senior's ministrations. Kouyou was determined to give a better performance than his first time giving head and, if Yuu’s reactions were anything to go by, the senior was succeeding.

To be fair, Kouyou still didn't really know what he was doing—he based his actions off of what girls did to him in the past, what he had seen in porn, but most importantly, the most prevalent image in his mind was what Yuu had done to him. His full lips at the head of Kouyou's cock, his tongue dipping into the slit in the most pleasurable ways—the senior tried to imitate it all, the way Yuu would lick from the base to the tip, to how he pumped with his hand and swirled his tongue around the girth. It had felt  _ so  _ good, Kouyou wanted to deliver that same pleasure back to his boyfriend, and despite his inexperience or how odd the erection felt in his mouth, the blond persevered and was able to reduce Yuu to a moaning mess.

Lips a mess, dripping with saliva and a mix of precum, Kouyou opened his mouth wider to take the cock in further—only to hear Yuu yelp and feel his hand grasping at the blond locks of hair.

"Teeth, Kou... teeth," the raven winced, pulling Kouyou off of his erection for a moment's relief. The senior cast his gaze aside, embarrassed and frustrated to have messed up so carelessly, in turn hurting Yuu in the process, but Yuu merely chuckled. "It happens. Don't worry."

Kouyou was casting him an amused look and Yuu shivered. It took only a couple of seconds for him to realize what he had just muttered, his mind still hazed by the built-up orgasms inside of him as his rapid breaths halted in his chest.

“I… mean… it happened to me too when I was…” 

The smirk that appeared on the senior’s face made Yuu’s body convulse with anticipation, Kouyou lowering his head once again, delivering a gentle lick to the tip of Yuu’s erection. They never broke eye contact, the younger feeling mesmerized by the growing lust in Kouyou’s dark orbs as his tongue lapped painfully slow, teasing the slit as he did so.

Yuu couldn’t help the soft growl that escaped his lips as he found himself unable to tear his gaze away, watching his boyfriend’s satisfaction, his tongue coating Yuu’s member with more saliva only to have it trickle down the base, mixing with the precum still dripping from the tip.

It was so erotic and Kouyou looked so beautiful as he finally sucked on the head again, Yuu watching it disappear between those plush lips, making his whole body shudder, eliciting a small cry from his throat. He almost closed his eyes, his mind going blank from the great pleasure Kouyou was granting him and, as soon as the senior’s tongue teased the slit, Yuu lost it.

His head fell back, sinking into the mattress as his body arched, Kouyou’s hand moving along the base in that same, painfully slow motion which almost sent Yuu to the verge of tears. 

The next thrust of Kouyou’s hand was fast, but then he slowed down his ministrations again while his mouth sucked on the head, shamelessly moaning in the process.

“Nghh,” Yuu writhed, his hand reaching down and finding the soft locks of hair of his merciless boyfriend while the other gripped at the sheets for support. ”Please… Kou…”

The raven was a whimpering mess when Kouyou suddenly detached his lips from the younger’s erection with a wet sound, which made Yuu’s thighs quiver.

“K… Kou....”

“Does my kitten like it gentle?”

The blond spoke with a low, husky voice, his lips making contact with the soft skin of Yuu’s thigh a second later.

The raven whimpered yet again, his fingers still tangled in Kouyou’s hair, trembling lightly in sync with every ministration of Kouyou’s lips against his thigh.

And as soon as the senior’s hand resumed its slow, thrusting motions, the raven felt another wave of pleasure surging through his entire body, his lips letting escape loud moans to his boyfriend’s delight.

“Ah…” he whimpered, Kouyou’s hand gently working wonders to his member while the senior’s tongue teased the sensitive skin of his thigh in all the right ways.

And then... Yuu’s vision went blank.

_ “Ngh,” _ he gasped, the knuckles of his fingers still gripping the sheets and turning white. “Fuck… gentle...”

And that was the last straw for his boyfriend, Kouyou’s teeth digging deep into his thigh a second later. Yuu’s moans were loud as he felt pain surge through, Kouyou’s hand delivering his fatal final thrusts to the younger’s member, and the raven arched his body once again as he finally fell into bliss. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, white pleasure making his mind go blank as his seed spilled onto his bare stomach while his breathy moans fled from his parted lips. The few more thrusts the blond granted him were enough to keep him into that bliss, milking him for all he was worth, the liquid dripping from his stomach to the sides of his small waist, tickling Yuu and leaving him even more teased than before. 

His breaths were rapid in pace, his mind still blurred by the post-orgasmic pleasure filling up his entire body, but he didn’t dare miss the way Kouyou let the skin still-captured between his teeth slowly slip from them.

Yuu’s eyes parted as he felt a little peck delivered to the bruised skin of his thigh, his lips curving in a smile as he heard Kouyou’s next word.

“Mine.”

His. Kouyou's. Yuu's was Kouyou's.

And the senior had finally claimed him in his entirety, the raven completely debauched as his semen coated his stomach and his lips parted to allow soft gasps in an out, slowly coming down from the high that Kouyou had just gifted him—but not without marking his deliciously soft thighs, the blond pressing one more kiss to the delicate skin where he had bitten, before standing up and grabbing a collection of necessary items: a tissue, lube, and a condom.

The tissue he used to clean up the mess on Yuu's stomach, while the lube and condom were for what was coming next.

"How was that?" Kouyou murmured, leaning over Yuu and pressing a kiss to his cheek. His hand rubbed his boyfriend's shoulder in a soothing manner, helping the raven regain his full awareness of his surroundings, although his eyes were still glassy as the feelings of pleasure and orgasm were prevalent in his body.

Another heavy breath left Yuu's lips before he responded, his lips upturning into a blissful smile. "So good... so so good..."

"I'm not done with you yet, my pretty kitty," Kouyou whispered into Yuu's ear, licking the rim of it before pulling away, smirking at the shiver that ran through Yuu's body as a result. The boy didn't move, couldn't, nor could react with more than a whine when the senior had resumed his kneeling position on the floor before Yuu's spread legs—except this time, his target was a little bit different.

"Spread wider, baby," the senior encouraged, taking hold of Yuu's marked thighs and pushing them further apart until he caught sight of what he had been searching for. Between the plump cheeks of the boy's rear was his hole, already pulsating in anticipation for Kouyou's next actions, just begging to be filled...

"Ahh," Yuu slipped out a moan when the senior's tongue came into contact with the rim of his entrance, the warm, wet sensations of the muscle and saliva causing a newfound pleasure to wrack his body and earn an arch in his back. Kouyou's lips upturned in a smirk as he felt the eager throbbing of Yuu's hole against his tongue, delivering some wetter, harsher licks as the younger boy let out yet another string of breathy moans into the air.

It always amazed the senior in how he could always run Yuu down into nothing but a writhing, moaning mess under the simplest of sexual acts. Another lick had the raven squirming, before Kouyou took each squishy cheek of Yuu's ass in his hands, kneading the flesh and pulling it further away from where his mouth was engaging with the boy's sphincter.

The wet, lewd noises of wet tongue and saliva against flesh as Kouyou licked and slurped without remorse were almost as loud as the moans that left Yuu's mouth in response, the combination of all things erotic causing the senior's neglected cock to throb in his pants. For some relief, he undid the fly and groaned against his boyfriend's entrance as he continued rimming; Kouyou's noises were almost feral as he took out his erection and started to stroke it, the lewdness of Yuu and what they were doing becoming too much for his hard-on to handle.

"Fuck," the blond growled, the thumb on his hand that was still groping Yuu's ass reaching over and dipping its tip into the ring of muscle, "can't wait to be inside you..."

The raven couldn’t help it and let out a moan as Kouyou’s dirty mouth sent another jolt of arousal towards his member as it spurred back to life even more, throbbing with anticipation. Kouyou’s husky voice and dominant words reminded Yuu to keep his posture, his hands reaching up to his trembling thighs, keeping them apart as his boyfriend kept teasing his backside. The blond was slowly thrusting his finger in and out at a sensual pace, brushing at Yuu’s prostate every now and then, sending the raven into another fit of soft moans before he was overwhelmed with desire, not being able to focus on anything else but the wonders his boyfriend was capable of.

The heat in both of their bodies was raising to a boiling degree and Yuu focused on the one thing that mattered to him more than anything right now. Kouyou was the one and only person who was able to make him feel alive, the one person who had the strength to pull him out of any kind of darkness, chasing its shadows away and replacing it with light and sweet love instead. And Kouyou’s love wasn’t just sweet, but passionate and full of a rollercoaster of madness, wrecking the raven’s world with newfound desires.

Yuu loved the blond with his entire being, and he tried to show it with every moan or lustful breath which escaped him, every caress of his trembling fingers in the blond locks of hair between his thighs; because Kouyou deserved nothing less with everything he was, and every precious feeling he coaxed out of the raven’s heart.

And Yuu couldn’t help but fall into another bliss of heat and desire, but then Kouyou was suddenly rising up from his position and climbing up on top of the raven in a predatory manner. Yuu’s eyes were full of confusion as he stared at Kouyou’s dark ones, but then he felt a prod at his entrance, realizing the blond’s finger never removed itself from the warmth which still engulfed him.

It made Yuu sweat, the hot liquid in his veins burning with stinging passion and he shivered as Kouyou leaned in, their lips touching in a sensual kiss full of unspoken words and desires. Yuu kissed him back hungrily and it didn’t take long for him to finally lose control and circle his arms around the senior’s shoulders, pulling him closer and feeding off his heat. Their kiss was messy and sloppy as the boys exchanged a couple of mouthful breaths, their matched arousal growing with incredible speed. Kouyou was loud as he moaned and allowed himself to push the raven’s thighs higher up on his hips, one of his hands still abusing that sweet spot inside of the raven, turning him into a blissful whimpering mess. 

Yuu was lost in the moment, his mind going wild with images of his boyfriend pinning him and devouring him whole, the raven couldn’t wait to have the blond inside of him, but then…

The clang of a door opening echoed through the entire room, making both of the boys freeze their movements while their heartbeats synced in their rapidly raising speed.

“Oh my _ god…” _ Aiko almost yelled as Kouyou and Yuu turned their heads towards the door only to see the brunette head of the woman disappear behind it, slamming it just milliseconds later. Kouyou didn’t waste any time before pulling away, his fingers leaving the ravens hole, making the younger whine and whimper from the hassle. Yuu’s lower body, however, was covered with sheets merely a second later as the senior quickly tossed the fabrics over his boyfriend in desperate attempt to save their dignity. As Yuu pulled the covers tightly to his chest they both stared at the door and heard Aiko’s trembling voice from the other side.

“Dinner is ready, boys. Kouyou, please hurry up and don’t take long.”

And then the voice was gone as footsteps followed, leaving the boys still frozen in their spot on the bed, breathing heavily as their feelings spiraled into chaos. They looked at each other a moment later and Yuu saw the widened eyes of his senior, fear written all over his features. The raven was just as scared and as embarrassed as his mind cleared and he was able to comprehend what had just happened.

But then Kouyou’s face completely changed and the senior couldn’t help but burst into laughs and giggles, infuriating the embarrassed raven beside him, who was still dealing with the aftermath of his own storming emotions.

“What’s so funny?” He asked with growing annoyance, clutching at the sheets covering his chest.

“My god, you are so red…” the senior laughed again, not being able to contain his chuckles. Yuu sent him a murderous glare.

“Shall I remind you your  _ sister  _ just caught us red handed in your bedroom, Kouyou?”

“You are so cute… and…  _ adorable  _ when you’re angry and blushing like this.”

The seniors’s words were followed by another fit of laughs and giggles which sent Yuu’s annoyance into its peak. Therefore, his hand reached to the side and, as soon as it found the soft surface of the pillows, he didn't hesitate before sending one Kouyou’s way. It hit the senior so hard that his voice was cut off, while his face darkened instantly.

And when he took a glance at the raven, Yuu quickly cowered under the intimidating gaze of his boyfriend, quickly realizing he had just made a terrible mistake.

Only a second later Yuu found himself pinned on the bed, Kouyou hovering above him, restraining his movements and exploring his neck in lewd ways, which filled the raven’s senses with its lustful sounds and wet, slippery touches. It almost sent him into a blissful moaning mess when the senior pulled away and smirked at the boy from above.

“Don’t forget you’re my meal tonight.”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to leave it for another time,” Yuu teased back, but Kouyou’s smirk only widened as he leaned in, planting a kiss on the younger’s nose.

“Maybe I’ll feast with you later when everyone’s asleep, my pretty kitty.”

At that, Yuu couldn't hold his snort and the boy quickly rolled his eyes, obviously not too impressed by Kouyou’s boldness right now.

“You’re such a pervert, Kou.”

“Please remind me who had his cock deep in my mouth while screaming my name just moments ago.”

The pure horror written on the boy’s face made Kouyou extremely satisfied this time and the senior quickly pulled away, dragging Yuu along with him as they finally left the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello my dudes. i won't let this note be too ominous, so i'll come out and say it: veiled is going to be going on hiatus for a little while. i'm sure if you've been reading with us as we put out chapters, you'll have noticed that in the recent months updates have become slower and more delayed, sometimes even going for a month at a time in between. i've been struggling with a lot lately, but that's not important. what is important is that we haven't finished writing this story yet. we've reached the end of what we have. so we'd like to take some time off from regular updates to finish writing it, and then once we have the rest of the chapters all completed, we'll resume our regular updates. we don't know how long that will take, but i promise you, we will finish this story. thank you dear readers for joining us thus far, and we're excited to see you again in the future ♡
> 
> with love, itsukoii & mittilla


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> itsukoii: as some of you may know, today is mittilla and i's 1 year anniversary and we decided to honour it by finally coming off of hiatus. thank you everyone for your patience over these past few months, we are so grateful for your support. we hope it's worth the wait!
> 
> mittilla: Thank you all for the patience. I really hope you’ll love what we cooked in this fic and is yet to come. Hiatus is over and we are posting 2 chapters at once to honor our anniversary. Thank you again and I’m sorry it took us a while to get back to it. You guys are the best. I’m still so overwhelmed every time I look at the stats and see the support this fic has gotten so far. The story is so precious to us. I’m just a puddle of feelings. Thank you agh

Yuu was afraid.

The silence in the dining room felt unbearable as the Takashimas ate in peace while Yuu simply stared at his dish, his appetite long gone and his heart painfully raising its speed. His facade remained untouched, though, as the boy had the opportunity to finally study Kouyou’s mother from up close. The woman had decided to spend the evening with them and, for the first time, acknowledged Yuu’s presence, greeting him and even offering for him to sit next to her at the table. Their dinner seemed to be going smoothly so far as the woman even offered him a sauce, despite that Yuu had refused the offering in the end. They had potatoes with chicken which looked and tasted luxurious to him, but the raven couldn’t ignore the sick feeling in his stomach and the way it stirred every time he sensed a certain scolding look scrutinizing him from afar. Kouyou’s father had been staring at him since the moment they arrived downstairs, not muttering a single word—rather, he simply glared at the boys. Kouyou didn’t spare his father any of the loving and suggestive looks he kept throwing at Yuu every now and then, but the younger was beginning to feel nauseous by the entire ordeal and it didn’t take long until it got too difficult for him to focus on anything else but Kouyou’s father alone.

He was disturbed and it got harder to hide it as minutes kept rolling by, everyone finishing their meals while indulging in more conversations of the same positive nature which Aiko made sure never left the table. The woman was trying her best in her attempts to keep the atmosphere as light as possible; it appeared to work because Kouyou’s father hadn’t uttered a word since their dinner began. It almost felt as if the man was avoiding all participation in the topics at hand, especially considering the fact that Mrs. Takashima was in the midst of her attempts of getting to know her son’s new boyfriend.

“How was Mie, Yuu? I’ve never been there before, but I’ve always wanted to visit.” 

Yuu lifted his gaze from his meal then and answered the woman’s smile with one of his own. Her friendly tone was an actual savior in the current situation as Kouyou’s father was still eyeing him from the other side of the table, so any distraction was greatly welcomed.

“It was colder for sure, the weather here is much nicer. The city alone is smaller, though. Here, everything seems and feels kind of… massive,” Yuu said and the woman chuckled before grabbing another bite from her dish.

“Do you miss it?”

”Actually, no. I’m more fond of this place now. I don’t regret moving here.” Yuu’s smile was oddly nostalgic when he delivered his answer, his eyes travelling to the blond sitting opposite from him, who smiled back with reassuring smirk that calmed the raven’s heart immediately.

It was then when another distraction presented itself, Yuu’s phone quickly going off in his pocket and he quickly retrieved it, silencing the device before putting it aside again. His mother couldn’t have chosen a better time to check on him, as usual.

As he returned his attention to his meal, Yuu felt Kouyou’s father scrutinizing him from afar  again, but this time, Yuu didn’t ignore the man like he did many times before. 

It took him only a couple of seconds to gather his courage and look up, but the hatred he witnessed in the man’s eyes caught him off guard immediately.

“Kouyou, did you buy Shiroyama’s phone?”

“Yes.”

The way his boyfriend didn’t even hesitate before answering his father made Yuu freeze in his seat, his eyes locked on the man who never broke eye contact with him but remained silent, not daring to utter another word.

Yuu didn’t expect Mr. Takashima to spare a thought about details as trivial as his phone—at least, not now, and not after what they had been through the past weeks; the man was too clever for his own good and maybe that wasn’t the only thing he noticed, as Yuu’s mind kept going over every little thing he and Kouyou slipped and failed to keep veiled, no matter how hard they tried to hide.

Yuu couldn’t help it as his thoughts drifted elsewhere then, remembering the clever words Takanori had granted him earlier the same day and he wondered… was it really fair for them to go through that torment, suppressing all that came naturally through their bond? Maybe he was deceiving himself, not realizing how much of it was already obvious and not hidden away, causing Kouyou distress and undeserved sadness.

“That’s quite the expensive present, Kou.” Kouyou’s mother was first to break the awkward silence, her comment making Kouyou sigh and avert his gaze.

“It’s nothing compared to all the things he’s done for me in the past months. His phone broke and it felt natural for me to take care of it. After all, Yuu’s been taking care of me when no one else did.”

Yuu shot him a look almost immediately after hearing those words. There was a certain spark of irritation in Kouyou’s eyes and, as their eyes met, Yuu noticed how apprehensive his boyfriend looked.

The mother’s next question didn’t come as a surprise to him, though, and yet it didn’t fail to deliver a little strike to Yuu’s bothered mind.

“Does your family know about you and Kouyou, Yuu?”

The raven glanced at her with a soft smile which startled the woman for a moment.

“Yes, my mom is actually really fond of Kouyou. I believe they’re getting along well.”

“What about your father?”

Yuu couldn’t blame the woman for her innocent question, as there was no way for her to know of his past with their current conversation being their very first attempt to speak and actually get to know each other. No matter how hard he tried to hide the pained blow his heart had just taken, his true feelings showed on his features almost immediately and his reluctancy wasn’t obvious only for her to see. It was a sign Kouyou’s father had been waiting to see as well and the man spoke next, obviously desperate to strike him with something vicious in hopes of leaving a scar.

“The boy doesn’t have a father, darling. If he had one, he probably wouldn’t be sitting at our table right now, at least not in the same role as the one which brought him here tonight.”

“His role in Kouyou’s life is most important and I’m happy to see my brother smiling so much.” Aiko smiled wide as she spoke, her piercing gaze locked on her father. Yuu’s eyes quickly drifted to his boyfriend sitting at the other side of the table, but to his surprise, Kouyou wasn’t looking back this time. “I wouldn’t prefer any other role for Yuu in this family.”

“He is not part of this family.”

The hair at the back of Yuu’s neck stood up as the boy sensed the very dangerous note in the man’s husky voice. It took only a second for Kouyou to react to it, though, and the raven was genuinely happy to hear his boyfriend speak to him again.

“Are you still hungry, Yuu?”

The tenderness and care in Kouyou’s voice was enough for Yuu to ease up in the midst of all the tension surrounding them. He didn’t hesitate to answer him in the same soft way.

“The food was great, but I’m stuffed, thank you.”

“I think we should finish our movie.” Kouyou smiled and Yuu was genuinely happy to see him so unaffected by what had just happen only a minute ago.

“If you’ll excuse us.” They both stood up, Yuu not missing the chance to send a smile at Aiko and her mother. As they boys prepared to leave the dining room, a cold voice called out for the senior, making both students halt in their tracks.

“Kouyou, please stay behind as I need to discuss something with you. Your guest can wait upstairs.”

Yuu glanced at his boyfriend and the hesitation he saw in Kouyou’s eyes was alarming. It almost felt like not only his father, but the blond was on edge as well, the dangerous tension in the air thickening by the second.

The raven was ready to object and ask to be present for their conversation, but Aiko raised her voice first, drawing everyone’s attention to her instead.

“I’ll go with Yuu and keep him company.” She winked at them and stood up from the table, walking over to the boys with a graceful swish of her hair. “Please don’t take long. We should let them have some time to themselves.”

The undertones in her voice sent Yuu’s skin ablaze, his mind quickly drifting back to their incident in Kouyou’s room. The woman had a knowing smirk on her face while Yuu tried to curve his lips, desperately hoping that she didn’t have plans of torturing him with teasings tonight.

Kouyou nodded and Yuu obeyed then, following Aiko out of the room and leaving his boyfriend with his parents behind.

They were passing through the living room and had almost reached the stairs when Yuu noticed a movement on the couch. There he saw Shiro, looking weary at him. His big, dark puppy eyes were glistening with worry and the boy halted in his tracks until he stopped walking completely.

There was an invisible force that glued him to the floor then, his feet unable to move forward nor take a step back. The chills he felt down his spine were like nothing before, the newfound lump in his throat suffocating him. There was a feeling weighing down on his heart and a pain in his gut as his insides stirred.

In the next second Shiro was on the tiled floor, quickly walking to the kitchen and pushing the door open with a whine and a growl. It was then the voices of an angry father and son echoed throughout the living room in a heated wave of shouting and... a slap.

Yuu’s blood froze in his veins. 

In that moment his mind went blank, his senses completely overthrown by panic and the painful rapid beating of the muscle in his chest.

Aiko tried to call for him, but Yuu was deaf.

He wasn’t thinking as he found the strength to move again, not walking but rather sprinting back to the kitchen where his most precious was left alone to deal and endure. How could he leave Kouyou behind when he promised he’d never let him fight another battle alone? Why did he fail that simple task and allowed for his lover to be hurt again?

When he walked inside and his eyes found the man’s hateful ones, Yuu was unstoppable as he quickened his pace and lashed out at the man with a shove that managed to send him few feet away from Kouyou.

Despite the gasps and the commotion surrounding him, Yuu kept his gaze locked on the man. He studied the way his features distorted into several expressions one by one, his emotions showing in a mad mixture of panic, fear, hate, surprise… it all just made the raven feel even more confident and unshakable in his decision to wreck the man.

He felt no regret nor fear for the first time. Instead, he was strong and powerful; not losing his protective posture even when Kouyou’s father finally approached him and tried to stand tall above him… intimidate him.

No... Yuu wasn’t having it this time.  _ Especially  _ not after Kouyou had endured humiliation—not just verbal, but physical as well.

Yuu was ready to protect his beloved at all costs, no matter what.

“Who do you think you are?” The man spat through gritted teeth, their faces only inches apart and yet… Yuu didn’t budge.

Instead, he felt another wave of heated emotions clash at his heart, his lips parting as he took a breath before he lashed out on the man—not with force, but with words this time.

“I’m Kouyou’s boyfriend,” he stated with a calm voice. The fire igniting in the man’s eyes gave the satisfaction Yuu needed to spur him on. “ _ I’m _ the person who told him he’s important. That he’s precious and loved. That he is enough and is doing enough.  _ I _ told him he’s amazing at guitar, that he’s good at soccer, and that he’s a good person and doesn’t have to try so hard. I helped him with everything I could and gave him what he lacked during most in his life… which you never gave him, despite that he’s your blood.”

“I swear to god…” the man hissed then, madness visible in his eyes, but the raven wasn’t done. His anger was spilling over and there was no going back for him. He couldn’t stop before he said everything he thought about this man. “If you don’t shut up…”

“You can’t do anything to me.” Yuu’s glare deepened then, hesitation showing on the man’s face, muscles trembling as they distorted in another grimace—one full of panic and newfound despair. “I know what your problem is.”

Yuu lowered his voice, the man drawing himself away slightly, but Yuu wasn’t ready to let him go. He had to listen because Yuu had a lot to say. “It took me some time. It tortured me too, I admit. But I understood in the end…” the man was taking small steps backwards now and Yuu took the same amount forward, feeling strong as the man was reluctantly cowering away. “You are always so obsessed with the public image, always forcing everyone, even your  _ family  _ to submit to your ideals. You always have this mean, confident way of manipulating people’s feelings. You manipulated me, too. But now I understand why you’re so obsessed with what everyone in your family are doing... and what they think of you.” Yuu took a breath, the man reaching the countertop behind him as the raven finally cornered him like a piece of prey before delivering his last blow. “You realized you’re nothing to them and you’re the only one to blame.”

The panic Yuu saw in the man’s orbs was the sign he needed to know that his words had left an impact. They stared at each other for a couple more seconds and Yuu slowly walked away from him, his stern gaze penetrating him, making sure he had accepted defeat… or at least temporarily. For as long as it was necessary for Yuu to take Kouyou out of there and probably convince him to never come back. 

Yuu didn’t care anymore as long as the blond was safe, hence when their eyes met again, Yuu ignored Kouyou’s shocked expression and grabbed his wrist in a tight grip as he pulled him towards the exit of the room.

“You’re coming home,” he murmured and it was then another commotion began, Kouyou’s mother and sister calling out for them, but the coward who caused this mess in the first place did not dare another sound.

Yuu ignored it all and threw one last glance at the man before he and Kouyou were out of the kitchen.

~

The short drive to Yuu's house felt like the longest one Kouyou had ever taken. Even with Shiro whining in the back to Yuu's comforting touches and small words, the senior's eyes welled up in tears the entire time they took to travel. So much had happened and so much was whirring through his mind that, at the moment, the only thing Kouyou could properly control was his breathing and his car—it was a miracle he could drive in the current state he was in.

Anger had been the only thing the blond had felt before Yuu had stepped in and interfered, even when his own goddamned father had struck him; the blow on his cheek stung now that it was one of the only things physical he could focus on to ground himself.

At last, Yuu's driveway was in sight. The senior parked the car before shutting off the engine, his eyes downcast before he leaned forward to rest his head against the steering wheel.

"This is so fucked, Yuu."

His raven beau could only glance at him with a soft expression, his lithe hand rubbing Kouyou's shoulder tenderly. "I know, Kou. But we're safe here, come on..."   
With a begrudging sigh, Kouyou peeled himself away from the wheel and floundered out of the door, making sure not to forget Shiro in the backseat. The shiba followed the boys obediently, sniffing at new scents whilst still staying close to Kouyou; as always, the pup could sense the severity of the situation and the effect it had on his owner.

Opening the door and stepping inside, Ms. Shiroyama was in the living room watching TV. She glanced up, surprised to see Yuu return so soon, but was met with an entirely new surprise as she laid her eyes upon the shiba and Kouyou—specifically Kouyou's face. The woman jumped up instantly, but Yuu told her off quietly.

"I'll explain later, mom. Kouyou needs time to rest now."

At her son's response, Ms. Shiroyama's own eyes welled up into tears, but she blinked them away quickly, abiding by the boys' request. "If you need anything... anything at all, Kouyou... I'm here.

"Thank you," Yuu answered for his boyfriend, whose head was hanging low, blond bangs hanging in front of his eyes. He was tugged along slowly by Yuu's hand grasped around his wrist, Shiro's claws tapping the floor as the trio walked down the corridor and into Yuu's bedroom. The raven shut the door behind them, quickly catching sight of Kiko on his bed who had instantly entered territorial mode—Shiro, however, stood still, observing the little black creature. Kouyou had a grip on his collar just in case, but the shiba was showing no signs of aggression.

"They meet at last," Yuu smiled softly, to which Kouyou couldn't help but return. The blond watched with a gentle gaze as his boyfriend picked up the kitten and held her carefully, petting her as he walked closer to introduce the two animals. Shiro had no qualms about the little kitten, which Kiko realized soon after—after a few minutes of intense observation from the safety of Yuu's arms, the slits of her eyes became round as her head tilted inquisitively. Shiro kept still, allowing the kitten to give a few sniffs before reaching a paw out in play.

Both boys stood stunned at how easy it was to introduce their pets, Kouyou breathing a huge sigh of relief. He sat down on the floor then, wrapping his arms around his shiba in search of the familiar comfort of home without its terrible conflicts. Even Kiko climbed into his lap to offer some comfort; Kouyou's eyes welled up once more, but this time they spilled their tears. At last, Yuu sat down and wrapped his arms around his senior.

"It'll be okay, Kou."

Kouyou didn't know what he was going to do, but with this little support system he had, he felt like he could do anything.

The blond felt Yuu wipe his wet cheeks with his sleeve, hugging his boyfriend for a few moments more before the blond felt himself be lifted by the arm gently. He could do nothing but oblige, allowing Yuu to guide him to the single bed as the pets followed. After sitting down on the soft mattress, sheets clean and orderly underneath him, Kouyou caught sight of Shiro seated on the floor a little ways away.

"Is it okay if he comes up here?" the blond pleaded, feeling the mattress sink as Yuu came to sit beside him with the little kitten in his arms.

"Of course. Let's lay down; he can lay in the middle," the raven offered, and with a grin Kouyou was moving his body back to lean against the headrest. Yuu followed, leaving about a foot of space in between them. Patting the empty space, Kouyou softly called for his shiba in invitation; of course, Shiro obeyed delightfully, hoping up onto the bed and crawling to lay between the two boys.

From Yuu's arms, Kiko meowed softly at the newcomer, catching the shiba's attention instantly. Shiro lifted his head to give the kitten a sniff, to which Kiko met; their noses were almost rubbing as they said their hellos, before the little kitten wiggled her way out of Yuu's arms and onto the same space occupied by Shiro. Before either of the boys knew it, Kiko had nuzzled into the shiba's neck fur affectionately, giving small licks to Shiro's muzzle and swatting at him gently. The shiba returned the licks, enduring every playful swat with no qualms.

At the adorable sight of the two pets getting along so well, Kouyou's eyes had begun to well up with tears again; this time, however, they were happy tears. He was no longer thinking about his father, nor the stinging on his cheek—all he could focus on were the bundles of fur between him and his loving boyfriend, who had reached out a hand for Kouyou to take. The blond took it, leaning over to peck Yuu's lips affectionately. They smiled against one another's lips as the kiss remained innocent, one of shared love and security. No tongue was used, it was just the pressing of one pair of lips to another.

"I feel kind of like a proud parent," Kouyou mused once he had pulled away from his beau, Yuu resting his head on the blond's shoulder. "I didn't expect them to get along so well."

"Nor did I. Aren't they precious?"

Kouyou hummed in response. "This is the only family I need. You, me, and our little furbabies."

Yuu chuckled softly. "I'd miss my mom, we can't leave her out."

"Your mom too. And my sister. The kids need a grandmother and an aunt." Sitting here and talking with Yuu as if nothing else mattered gave Kouyou eternal solace. When he was with Yuu, he didn't feel worry, nor fear; all he felt was love and happiness.

In moments like these, Kouyou really felt as thought everything was going to be okay.

Laying like he was in silence with his lover and pets, Kouyou didn't know how much time had passed—nor did he care to find out—before Kiko began to show signs of restlessness, the small kitten hopping off of the bed and onto the floor. Shiro's gaze followed her before he soon made his way off of the bed and onto the floor, following the kitten as she made her way on top of Yuu's desk on the other side of the room.

Empty space between the two boys now vacant, Kouyou took the opportunity to fill the space with his own body as he moved closer to Yuu, pressing their sides together before delivering a soft kiss to the top of his raven beau's head. The senior could see Yuu's lips curve into a smile, and so Kouyou delivered more; pressing loving gestures all over the silky head of hair before moving to the side of Yuu's face. Yuu giggled softly at the affections, turning his head in an futile attempt to escape—because in doing so, he exposed the side of his neck which Kouyou quickly took advantage of, pressing a few small kisses onto the soft surface before feeling a surge of desire and need. To take care of such things, the blond set out on delivering open-mouthed kisses to Yuu's neck, licking, sucking and biting and feeling the raven squirm under every suggestive touch. Kouyou smirked against his neck, feeling the flesh vibrate as Yuu let go a moan in response.

The kisses grew hungrier and more desperate as the moments flew by, the senior wasting no time in silently relaying his desires to Yuu—but before long, a wet nose had lodged itself in between the boys, Kouyou having no choice but to back away before he got a mouthful of fur. Standing there was Shiro, of course, his circular shiba brows furrowed as he nuzzled both boys in search of his own affections, which, of course, were granted; with laughs and smiles the boys delivered rubs and pets and kisses to the needy shiba.

"The joys of parenthood," Kouyou joked, to which Yuu rolled his eyes at in return.

~

“Yuu.” Ms. Shiroyama had appeared at the door and Yuu glanced at her, the needy shiba quickly leaving a long lick on his tinted cheek, making the woman chuckle. “Could you please help me with dinner?”

She had a knowing look on her face and Yuu nodded, throwing one last glance at Kouyou and their pets before following her out of his room and straight to the kitchen.

Upon entry, Yuu saw the table was already organized; plates and forks including freshly cooked pasta waiting to be attended, and he sighed realizing the woman had an entirely different set of plans for them tonight.

He couldn’t blame her, knowing how caring and protective his mother was, and since Kouyou was already part of their family, the distress he found in her eyes didn’t surprise him one bit. 

To be frank, he was scared to the core of his bones himself, his mind refusing to go back to that moment and reminisce about the incident his boyfriend endured. And yet… he couldn’t avoid the matter any longer. He had to face it sooner than he thought.

“I’m sorry, Yuu, but you have to tell me what’s going on.”

Yuu smiled briefly, sitting on the countertop near the door as he tried to ease up and collect his thoughts. He didn’t know how to begin, nor how to deliver the news in the most delicate way, but he knew the woman was impatient. His lips parted as the words began to spill.

“We had dinner at Kouyou’s house, and… his parents were there.” He took a moment to breathe as the woman remained silent, not daring to interrupt him, but simply watching him with stern eyes. “His mother was there and I met her. She was really kind and I really liked her, but his father…” Yuu trailed off, taking another breath, realizing how horrible the memory was and how shaken he was by it all. “Kouyou’s sister is in town, too, so she was trying to be funny and nice, but Kou’s father was really unhappy. They talked in the end, but his father… hit Kouyou.”

Yuu bit his lip, a desperate attempt to stop the sadness from appearing on his face. The crestfallen look his mother had was enough to make his eyes sting and water, and he struggled to blink the liquid away.

“I’m so sorry, dear.” She whispered then and Yuu wiped at his eyes as he tried to clear his vision to look at her again.

“I didn’t see it… I only heard them arguing and then the slap...” his voice was trembling now as Yuu hugged himself, the memory of his boyfriend hurting proving to be unbearable. “It’s my fault.”

“That’s not true.” Kouyou had suddenly appeared at the doorframe and both Yuu and his mother looked at him in shock. “I’m not fragile. You could’ve asked me directly.” 

Kouyou eyed the woman with a scolding gaze as she smiled tenderly at him. Yuu remained silent, still struggling to take control over his awoken emotions. Kouyou seemed to notice it immediately and he slowly moved next to the raven still sitting on the countertop, hips brushing at Yuu’s knees as the boy took a breath and stirred.

“It was my fault. I provoked my dad and I deserved what it came out of it, but Yuu…” the blond smiled, his eyes meeting Yuu’s as he spoke. “He protected me... he basically saved my life. I probably wouldn’t be standing here if it weren’t for him.”

Yuu’s face was tomato red as he slapped his boyfriend’s shoulder harshly. The senior merely chuckled and snorted in response, gazing down at Yuu with that trademark smile of his, full of warmth and so much love.

“You can stay as long as you need,” Ms. Shiroyama offered then and Kouyou nodded, silently agreeing and sealing a little pact of mutual protection and understanding.

Yuu was grateful for all of the support his mother was giving them, but there was still that little darkness creeping at his heart. The teen knew it was unavoidable; there was no way for him or Kouyou to dissipate it any time soon.

Kouyou couldn’t avoid his parents forever, and maybe they were keen on letting him be wherever he wanted tonight, but the raven knew there was more battles of the same nature coming  for them tomorrow.

And yet as they sat down and had another rather calmer and peaceful dinner, they boys were able to drown in this comfort they missed and craved.

Yuu focused on Kouyou’s laugh and found it had immense healing abilities, his heart patching up and feeling stronger than ever. He finished his second dinner of course, emptying his plate while kouyou struggled with his, which resulted in him feeling guilty enough to offer his help in a form of a payback as he washed the dishes the same night.

Yuu watched him and kept him company not missing the chance to tease him and elicit more laughs from the senior. For some reason the raven was calm this time, despite what happened and what laid ahead in time for them. Kouyou really was the one thing Yuu needed to feel invincible and, as they sat on the couch cuddled up under a blanket an hour later, the raven felt warm and Kouyou’s hands felt like home.

~

It was dark in the living room, the TV being the only source of light and noise in the stillness surrounding them, and Yuu couldn’t help it as his eyes fell on the fluffy shiba and the black ball of fur cuddled up on the sofa in a matching comfort to their own. The darkness Yuu felt towards their unknown future couldn’t win against Kouyou’s warmth and the raven smirked to himself as the heat from his cheeks spread to the rest of his body, a certain type of burning unsettlement spreading in his chest.

The pets were sleeping so peacefully, perhaps it was an opportunity for something more; an embarrassing idea quickly formed in Yuu’s mind as he felt even hotter.

He hesitated for a second but quickly turned his head to the side, watching Kouyou stir and look at him with a warm smile.

“Are you tired baby? Do you want to sleep?”

Yuu remained motionless in his spot, eyes tracing every curve of Kouyou’s gorgeous features which never failed to take the younger’s breath away. Yuu couldn’t tear his gaze from this perfection, quickly realizing he’d been deprived of a certain bond they hadn’t established between themselves for days. And the raven felt it’d been too long, their earlier interruption at Kouyou’s house only spurring Yuu’s desires further into craving more. And Kouyou deserved it, they both did, to seal their love once more in the most sacred way known to man. He wanted him and Yuu never felt so confident in his life, never felt as daring ever before.

“Let’s go to my room,” Yuu whispered, careful to not awaken the sleeping pets on the sofa while delivering a quick peck to the tip of Kouyou’s nose.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't forget to go back and read chapter 40 if you haven't, we posted two at once!

Kouyou nodded and followed his boyfriend as they stood up from the couch and carefully left the living room, making sure the shiba and the kitten were tucked and deeply asleep. Yuu loved the animals and their fuzzy company, but he wanted this time with his boyfriend. He didn’t want any intruders or distractions this time and, despite that his mother was home and probably asleep in her room, her presence wasn’t enough to tame the desires burning within the raven.

As he and Kouyou finally arrived in his room, Yuu closed the door and locked it with a soft click which made his boyfriend flinch and turn around to face him.

The room was dark, the only source of light being the monitor of Yuu’s laptop left open on his desk with a funny video paused on the screen, not putting the device to sleep.

The atmosphere was exactly as Yuu wanted it, erotic and mystical in a seductive way which Yuu took advantage of immediately.

He stared back at the blond realizing his warm smile was long gone and replaced with a look of lust. When he moved closer and locked their lips for a kiss, it was answered instantly, Kouyou wrapping his strong arms around Yuu’s waist and pulling him closer. Their bodies were flush with each other and the kiss turned sloppy in seconds as the raven didn’t waste time in conveying his deepest desires to his boyfriend. And so, through bites and growls, the rising heat almost burning their skin, Yuu pushed the blond against his bed and Kouyou was made to sit on it, the raven straddling him and pushing him on his back.

As Yuu hovered over Kouyou, their most sensitive parts brushing at one another sensually through the fabric of their pants, Yuu let out a breath of want, his eyes gazing down at Kouyou’s hungry ones. 

“Yuu,” he breathed, and the raven smiled with satisfaction as he felt Kouyou’s hands on his waist, guiding him along to stir above him and thrust at their sensitive parts yet again... and  _ again _ .

Their breathing quickened and they were able to hear the raw passion they both felt for each other clearly conveyed in the stillness of the room.

It was then the raven reached up to his hair releasing his locks from the confines of the tie, his half ponytail now gone and the strands cascading down his shoulders, framing his face in a way that left his boyfriend breathless every time.

As expected, it worked again, Kouyou’s breath halting in his chest as he stared with such lust, the bulge in his pants was quickly growing and feeling hard against Yuu’s own.

“God, you’re so sexy.”

The raven was blushing madly again and he bit his lips before he pushed himself up, the blond growling with frustration at the loss of Yuu’s heat against his crotch.

The boy only smirked at his boyfriend’s confusion and didn’t waste time as he kneeled between his knees, comfortably positioning himself to unbuckle Kouyou’s belt and open his pants in a slow, teasing way, satisfied with the way the blond lifted himself on his elbows to take a proper look at Yuu’s hands.

It was clear that Yuu wasn't in the market for anything except utilizing the time he and Kouyou now had together, his initiative and drive causing the senior to grow hot all over as he was introduced to a previously hidden side of Yuu; the raven's fingers were so deft as they undid Kouyou's pants, pulling them down and off before using his hand to rub at the bulge in the blond's underwear. Kouyou could merely watch with half-lidded eyes as he allowed Yuu the freedom to act as he wished, and for once he didn't feel the need to guide Yuu in anything—as he freed Kouyou's cock from the confines of the constricting fabric, his lithe hand wrapping around it momentarily after, Kouyou tilted his head back in a low moan.

"Fuck... come on, show me what you want," the senior groaned, blood rushing quickly to his cock at the sensual sight of Yuu after so long—the sight of his confidence and his need to be intimate with Kouyou. It was enough for the senior to involuntarily buck his hips into Yuu's fist, whose hand was stroking slowly to build up the tension and the passion in his senior's body.

But as much as Kouyou wanted it,  _ needed  _ it, he would allow Yuu the freedom to do what he wished. If he was willing to pleasure the blond all on his own accord, Kouyou would certainly play along.   
After much teasing with his hand through expert movements and grace, Yuu had lowered his parted lips down upon his boyfriend's hardened cock, thoughtfully worked to full arousal.

At the sensation of the raven's skillful mouth around his member at last, Kouyou let out another groan as his abdomen tensed, the depravity sending his hips bucking in another involuntary jerk. The thrust caught Yuu by surprise, his eyes rolling back slightly, but refused to remove himself from the blond's cock, instead keeping his mouth steady as he waited for Kouyou's startled hips to subside in their movements.

Kouyou reached a hand out to let his fingers grace through the long strands of raven hair surrounding Yuu's face and tickling the sensitive skin around the blond's pelvis and groin, sending shivers through his spine as the sight of it all combined with the immense pleasure was too much to bear. The senior could merely grasp at the sheets with one hand while his other tugged at Yuu's hair, eliciting a small moan from the boy which sent a vibration down Kouyou's cock, his hips jerking once more. Yuu coughed at that, and yet he kept sucking, his tongue moving in ways Kouyou couldn't even imagine as the pleasure he'd craved and been denied for what felt like forever was finally being delivered to him.

"Sorry... fuck," Kouyou tried to apologize for his body's mind, acting out on its own accord—but Yuu merely chuckled against the thing in his mouth, pulling away slightly so he could speak—yet leaving his lips lingering upon the glistening tip, wet with saliva and leaking with precum.

"Don't worry. It just shows me how much you love it." At that, Yuu sank down again with his full lips parted and stretched around his boyfriend's cock, tucking an annoying strand of hair behind his ear before using his hand to stroke the base—because while Yuu was growing fairly skilled at giving head, Kouyou was still pretty damn big, and it remained a challenge trying to fit the entire thing in his mouth.

Despite it, Kouyou could see how motivated Yuu was to please, glancing up at the senior with dark, half-lidded eyes, long lashes obstructing the view in the most sinful way. The combined pleasure of it all made Kouyou's breath hitch, his lip curling in frustration as he attempted to keep his bucking hips at bay—but when he failed to do so, Yuu still relentless in his determination, Kouyou had no choice but to take a fistful of Yuu's hair and pull him up. A string of saliva kept the raven's lips connected to Kouyou's cock before he lapped at it, the surface of his tongue coated in precum.   
Kouyou could've orgasmed then and there, but after being deprived for so long, he wanted to prolong the pleasure for as long as he possibly could.

"Good kitten."

Yuu smirked then, the air hitting his wet chin and lips, giving him a chill and sending him trembling with lust. Kouyou’s hand guided him a second later, pulling him up and not releasing his hair, but clashing their lips for another heated kiss. Yuu found himself pushed onto his back before he collided with the sheets of his bed, Kouyou’s tongue exploring his mouth, producing more of the same wet noises that spurred his desire to claim and be claimed back. 

The heat emitting from them both was rapidly growing and almost burning their skin when Yuu decided he had enough teasing; he was ready to urge them on into the real action he craved.

Their kiss was sloppy, their tongues still connected as one of his hands trailed down Kouyou’s pecs, fingers ruffling the shirt covering them while exploring the firm flesh underneath. Kouyou let out a growl at that, the kiss growing rougher as he tugged at the raven’s hair, his fingers still tangled in the soft locks and abusing them with the force of his grip.

When Yuu’s hand grew daring enough to reach even lower and let his hands brush at Kouyou’s exposed waist, the blond was bucking his hips, creating a pleasurable friction as their arousals met which had Yuu moaning in bliss. 

His mind was blank, completely lost in their moment of lust; the raven wasn’t thinking when his fingers clasped at the firm buttocks of his boyfriend and clawed at them, creating yet another act of friction of pleasure between their bodies. This time Kouyou was the one to moan as he broke their kiss and pulled away, his hand still gripping Yuu’s hair as he tried to ground himself.

Yuu locked their eyes in a heated stare, his gaze half lidded and basking in the beauty that was Kouyou’s sweaty face. He admired the eyebrows locked together in a frown, while his full, reddened lips glistened with a coat of saliva as they parted for a hurried breath. Yuu knew that he probably looked just as debauched himself.

However, that stare didn’t last long, because Kouyou was standing up from the bed a moment later and removing his shirt in an impatient manner. 

Yuu watched him as he struggled for air, the blond tossing his clothes to the side carelessly while his eyes feasted on Kouyou’s curves, scanning his body with hunger and lust.

When the blond was finally bare and leaning in to kiss Yuu once again, his voice was husky and seductive in the way he spoke after tasting the raven’s lips for a brief peck.

“Where’re the lube and condoms, my kitten?”

“Under the bed.” Yuu’s voice was low and soft, the answer delivered even before Kouyou had finished his question. The blond was then removing himself from his raven beau, quickly retrieving the items and tossing them onto the bed. 

Yuu shivered, but Kouyou was quick to hover over him and get rid of the raven’s shirt in the same impatient and maybe  _ slightly aggressive _ way. Yuu liked it nonetheless, his desires just as impatient for release, slowly built by different kinds of prolonged pleasure and dirty deeds. And the raven loved it even more when he saw his boyfriend standing up, his strong hands hooking around the waistband of Yuu’s pants and pulling the fabric down his thighs, exposing the neglected cock as it leaked precum all over Yuu’s supple tummy.

Yuu’s breathing was heavy, and there was sweat on his forehead as he let the blond have his way, but was suddenly surprised as his pants and underwear weren’t removed, but wrapped tightly around his ankles instead. 

“Kou.” Yuu squirmed and stirred, but was quickly pacified when Kouyou made him curl and lay on one side, his legs clamped together and against the bed. 

When their eyes met again, Yuu’s entire body was trembling from all the adrenaline his heart had to bear, and there was satisfaction in the way Kouyou was smirking at him, desire in his half-lidded eyes as he pushed his own knee against Yuu’s legs and pinned them even harsher against the bed. The dominance resurfacing in the blond excited the raven to the core and his lust increased to its boiling point. He was desperate for Kouyou’s touches, affections and cock all at the same time.

And he was delighted to see the same desire written in his boyfriend’s eyes as they admired the submissive mess that was Yuu right now.

Kouyou wasn’t wasting their time, though, quickly reaching for the lube while having the raven steadily pinned against the sheets and pouring some of the substance all over Yuu’s soft and finally-exposed ass. His hands glided along the squishy surface before grasping one buttock and clawing at it, licking his lips all the same at the delicious sight of his boyfriend's now glossy backside. The touch was too erotic and elicited yet another moan from the raven’s lips, his hands reaching over to his boyfriend, seeking more of his affections… but the blond was quickly grabbing Yuu’s wrists with his other hand and pushing them onto the bed with the same force his knee was still using to pin the other’s legs down.

Yuu glanced at Kouyou with fear this time, arousing excitement raising in his chest as he saw the blond leaning in and delivering a quick peck on his sweaty forehead. The hand that was still massaging his buttocks suddenly dove between them in search of Yuu’s most sacred place and the raven shuddered violently at the cold touch of Kouyou’s thumb against his entrance, submerging inside him a second later as Yuu felt every knuckle as it passed through his sphincters.

The pleasure was immense, sending Yuu into becoming a whimpering mess and, as soon as Kouyou added a second finger inside, the raven was releasing a soft cry—one a little louder and  _ dirtier  _ than planned.

Yuu threw a worried glance at the door, fear holding his breath at bay, and Kouyou was quickly catching up to his boyfriend’s distress, teasing him with vicious words and a suggestive smile on his face.

“She’s not coming.” Yuu shuddered yet again at the mention of his parent and felt the fingers inside of him increase their pace. “She knows how dirty my kitten is.”

At that, a third finger was pushed inside and Yuu couldn’t hold his soft cries as he tried to release his hands, his hair sticking to his sweaty face, the heat in which they conveyed  their desires to each other growing heavier and unbearable all the same.

”I’m sure she guessed you’d bring me here, because you’d want to be fucked.”

There was no shame in the cry that was elicited from Yuu’s lips in the next moment, his body writhing and squirming under the dominance of his blond boyfriend whose eyes were half-lidded while his shapely jaw hung slightly parted. Kouyou wriggled his fingers mercilessly inside the stretched hole, the muscles taking little to no time in adjusting to the intrusion; the senior could feel the eager pushing back against his digits, the soft silk of Yuu’s interior hot with arousal with every moan and gasp that left his other end. Despite his past concerns about his mother’s presence in the house, he now had no qualms nor worries about letting go and displaying his pleasure verbally, which sent a heated pulse to Kouyou’s cock whenever his raven beau couldn’t keep quiet.

While Yuu squirmed as a result of the pleasure being given to him in his most private area, he no longer squirmed in an attempt to escape Kouyou’s harsh grasp around his wrist; instead, Kouyou could feel the raven’s arms going limp as he gave in completely to the senior’s hold. He did the same with his restrained legs, leaving his body loose and ragdoll-like in offering for Kouyou to do whatever he pleased—which was exactly what the blond did, keeping his kitten in place as he fucked the boy with his fingers, the lingering tightness of Yuu’s hole fading away as Kouyou’s fingers fit like they belonged in his ass—but nothing would truly feel like home unless it was the senior’s cock inside, instead.

With a growl, Kouyou retracted his fingers from Yuu’s entrance only to slap the raven’s ass with the same hand afterwards, his beau crying out in surprise, pain and in pleasure as the slap coated his round cheek with lube and left it shiny, the liquid dripping off steadily—as though Yuu were a cake topped by delectable icing, the sight made Kouyou salivate at the mouth as the site he had slapped began to inflame a bright red.

Kouyou could also see the pulsing and throbbing of Yuu’s now-empty hole, silently begging to be filled once more—and so, what more could he do besides grant that request?

“On your stomach,” Kouyou huffed as he removed his legs from Yuu’s own, leaving the raven’s bottom half to its own free will while the senior’s hand kept Yuu’s wrists together, his grip tightening as his boyfriend squirmed to do as he was ordered.

At last—with a little assistance from the blond—Yuu had made it onto his stomach, his body flat against the bedsheets aside from his slick ass arched in the air by his hips, the hole between the cheeks pulsing in need in plain sight. His face was pressed sideways against the sheets, strands of dark hair curtaining his features while Kouyou maintained a hold around his wrists, just inches above on the sheets where Yuu’s face was planted. Rough breaths escaped him as his eyes went wide, Kouyou straddling his boyfriend’s raised ass and grinding his cock in between the raven’s slicked cheeks with a smirk.

“You don’t even try to resist,” the blond scoffed, tightening his grip on Yuu’s wrists for emphasis as he continued to roll his hips. “You’re a whore and you damn well know it.”

All Yuu could do in response was let out a lengthy moan, now grinding his ass back against his boyfriend’s cock while Kouyou chuckled from above.

“Like a cat in heat, you want it so bad.”

Yuu shivered at Kouyou’s dirty words, his wrists growing sore as the blond’s grip kept abusing them. It felt so good to be pinned in the lewdest ways, the senior’s cock sliding sensually between the raven’s buttocks as he delivered more of the same dirty and taunting words.

Yuu was trembling by the time he felt Kouyou’s cock push at his entrance—though just slightly, not going in—teasing him and sending Yuu into another breathy mess.

“You want it, kitten?” Kouyou was out of breath himself, his tone less intimidating now but still firm and dripping with lust which elicited a small cry from Yuu.

“Please, Kou.” The raven pleaded little before he pushed his slick ass back, meeting the hot flesh of his boyfriend’s cock for yet another arousing thrust.

It was then Kouyou gave up on the teasing and his member pushed against the outer ring of muscle which instantly stretched and took the head with little to no resistance.

Yuu cried out, his moan dirty and lengthy, the raven’s fingers grabbing the bed sheets for support. Kouyou’s hand was even rougher as it tightened around his wrists and Yuu relaxed as he let his boyfriend slide inside of him until the entirety of Kouyou’s cock was buried deep within him.

Yuu froze, unable to move or let another moan escape his trembling lips as Kouyou moved above him, delivering the first thrust and pushing his cock in and out slowly, teasingly. It didn’t take long until they were both gasping for air, unable to resist the desire burning inside of them as it spurred them on, and their pace, in which their bodies moved against each other, was increasing by the second.

Yuu took every thrust with ease, his moans louder than before, and suddenly his restrained wrists were released. He didn’t move, however, his fingers still gripping at the ruffled sheets underneath him and he felt those same hands at his hips this time. The way Kouyou held him and increased his pace made Yuu cry out, call his boyfriends name in the lewdest of ways possible. His mind was blank, his lust was overwhelming and he ignored the alarms in his head completely. He didn’t care that his mother was still in the house; didn’t care if there were noises coming from the other side of the locked door, awakening their pets who were wondering what their masters were doing instead of cuddling and petting them.

All he cared about was Kouyou and the connection they had restored and currently had between themselves. It was a seal of conveyed desires and feelings they no longer suppressed as they unleashed every dirty desire they had.

And Yuu basked in the warmth of his boyfriend as Kouyou finally bent down, his chest flush with the raven’s back as soft pecs were pressed to Yuu’s shoulder blades.   
Kouyou was gentle and kind in his touch and Yuu appreciated it all with his heart as the purest sounds of love escaped him.

The soft kisses of his boyfriend soon turned into bites and Yuu was growling this time, his body turning limp under the crushing weight of his boyfriend, the thrusts becoming faster and more aggressive, full of desire and craving for something even more.

Unable to display his passion in gentler ways, Kouyou huffed against the back of Yuu's neck as he lay flush against the smooth, curved back of the raven, the increasing speed of his rough hips causing small squeaking sounds from the bed — while the sounds from Yuu were much more desperate and audible, his once-timid moans evolving into loud cries every time Kouyou hit his special spot. Kouyou's own mouth was continuing to place rough love-bites all over the back of his boyfriend's neck, pulling back momentarily to admire the reddened areas littered with bite marks.

The blond lapped the heated skin with his tongue, evoking a full-body shiver from Yuu as the combined pleasure of cock and mouth was beginning to become too much for his raven beau to handle. Kouyou could make out subtle noises amongst the moans coming from Yuu's mouth being his name, begging, crying for more...

No matter what Yuu asked for, Kouyou could never deny him. His cock went so deep into Yuu with every thrust, he was hitting the raven's prostate with each one. The tightness of his beau's hole around his cock the most pleasurable thing to ever be experienced, combined with the adorable noises Kouyou was sure he could never get enough of.

Kouyou was addicted, and Yuu was his euphoria.

"Fuck... fuck... Kou," Yuu moaned again, tilting his head back which invited Kouyou to lean down and smash his lips against Yuu's own — it was all saliva and mess, yet nothing felt more intimate than when they were engaged in sex without a single morsel of shame.

The same lack of shame which had them both emitting loud noises of pleasure despite the others in the house, which, frankly, Kouyou didn't give a fuck about.

The blond pulled back after a few moments, gazing into Yuu's half-lidded and completely-blissed eyes before the raven's head fell to the sheets again, his strength exerted before he became limp once more. Kouyou, too, felt his body beginning to wear down, and so his thrusts became less intense in speed to focus on depth instead — until Yuu's cries became so loud once more, all Kouyou could focus on was the throbbing of his cock inside of Yuu and his desperate need to release.

"Fuck," Kouyou huffed as he planted his hands on the sheets beside Yuu's shoulders for leverage, "can't fucking take it anymore..."

With a hard bout of huffs and groans, Kouyou's hips had sped up to the point where he knew he wouldn't last much longer — not with the noises Yuu was making, especially. As the blond felt his cock throb and reach release, Yuu's face was planted into the sheets as he cried aloud and moaned into the fabric, muffling the pleasurable sounds in a way that had Kouyou on cloud nine as his hips slowed their pace once he had reached his high.

Seconds later, Yuu's body wracked with another set of shivers and cries as he came, staining the sheets below him as he lifted his hips up from the bedsheets.

Kouyou flopped down onto Yuu's back then, crushing the raven against the bed as he regained his strength. When Yuu gasped for air, the blond shakily lifted his body up, though keeping his head low enough to bury his face in Yuu's hair. It was sweaty, but still smelled like the floral shampoo Kouyou loved so damn much.

"So... I'm sure the entire house heard us."

With a chuckle at his boyfriend's playful words, Kouyou nodded into Yuu's hair. "Yeah, no doubt about it."

Yuu let out a little huff of laughter. "You're telling the pets about the birds and the bees, then."

"Oh, please..." The blond chuckled again, pressing a kiss to the side of the raven's face. "They heard enough. I'm sure their imaginations are doing the rest of the work."

Yuu rolled over onto his back then, attempting to glare up at his boyfriend, but the outcome was too adorable. "Poor things are scarred."

"They'd better get used to it." Kouyou leaned down to press another kiss against Yuu's lips, Yuu's sweet breath encompassing his face as the raven chuckled against the soft contact. He wrapped his arms around Kouyou's broad shoulders before retracting them, relocating his hands to the blond's pecs before gently pushing him away with a small smile.

"Okay. Get cleaned up. Bedtime."

"You're kidding me. No round two?"

"Shut up, perv!"

~

After Yuu had successfully warded off Kouyou's playful attempts to pursue him further, the two had cleaned up and made it into bed, cuddled up in the darkness. They had let the pets in, Shiro curled up at the end of the bed with Kiko beside him, while at the head of the bed, Kouyou was stroking Yuu's hair while he lay his head on the blond's chest.

"Thank you, Yuu." Kouyou's quiet voice rang out in the darkness.

"For what?"

"You know... everything." It was too much to say it all; he knew Yuu knew what he was referring to. "I love you so much. I hope you know that."

Yuu leaned his face up to deliver a peck to Kouyou's lips, a soft smile following. "I love you too, Kouyou. You know we're in this together. In everything."

"In everything," Kouyou echoed before drifting off to the land of sleep.


	42. Chapter 42

“Good morning, dear,” Yuu’s mother greeted him as soon as he stepped into the kitchen. Everything was basking in the warm light of the rays of the morning sun, penetrating the soft shield of the curtains over the windows, while Yuu’s eyes took a moment to adjust. His mother was resting her hips against the countertop, the coffee machine making a familiar noise next to her, which prompted Yuu to rub at his temples in a soothing matter, the boy still in process of waking up. 

His body felt sore in several places and he wondered if his endeavors the previous night were at fault. The thought alone sent shivers down his spine and, as memories invaded his thoughts, his skin prickled and heated up little before he reached the sink to the side.

He took a glance inside and wasn’t surprised to see the dishes from last night, still waiting to be cleaned. 

The tension in the room was growing rapidly and he sighed, deciding to take on the task and use it as a tool of distraction as he tried to avoid his mother’s eyes at all costs.

However, the woman had a knowing look on her face when he entered, and the boy was sure the awkward conversation they were supposed to have wouldn’t be spared.

He knew his mother was the most understanding woman to exist, and yet… what happened last night had crossed some lines, and the embarrassment he felt in her presence right now almost made him suffocate with shame.

And still… he didn’t regret it one bit.

“I know you heard us.” He spoke up first, not even realising the way in which he scrubbed the dishes had become a bit more aggressive than needed. His mother didn’t respond and the boy spoke again in a desperate attempt to justify his last night’s doings. She had to understand. ”I don’t regret it. He needed me, and we both know what the situation was like… and still is. I wanted him to feel…” he paused. There was a soft touch on his shoulder which he quickly recognised as the soft palm of his mother’s hand. He was nervous, not even realising she had approached him in the first place. It made him halt in his tracks, freezing in the middle of his work on the dishes as his heart throbbed in his chest. “I wanted him to feel loved.” 

There was a squeeze on his shoulder then, and it felt soothing to his troubled heart and nerves. He was still on edge but the heavy feelings in his chest seemed to have deteriorated a bit, letting him revive his lungs for a deep breath.

“I know, dear.” Her voice was soft when she spoke and it took a couple seconds for the raven-haired boy to feel calm enough to continue his work on the dishes. Her palm remained on his shoulder as the scrubbing sounds replaced the silence in which they both fell into, not daring to say another word.

Once the coffee was ready, his mother left him and prepared a cup for herself. She didn't approach him nor spoke another word until he was done with the dishes and was able to look at her again.

The soothing smile on her face was beautiful and radiated with comfort which quickly reached Yuu, and the boy felt a strange sense of content. That was until the doorbell startled them and they both flinched as it echoed through the house.

Yuu threw a worried look at his mother then, his blood quickly freezing in his veins, but the stern gaze in her eyes quickly assured there was nothing to be worried about.

She simply walked out of the kitchen, and the boy took a couple deep breaths until he heard the faint noises of the door being unlocked and open for whoever it was that rang the bell.

There was panic that made him suffocate then as his mind spiraled with emotions and ideas of what that sudden visit could mean. Kouyou had ignored most of the calls he had received from his parents last night, picking up only once to soothe his sister who was panicking and losing her calm. What if things had turned for the worse and now they came for the boys, what if his parents were here to tear them apart after everything, not caring about what they wanted or felt...

That thought managed to kick Yuu out of his stupor and the raven was out of the kitchen in a heartbeat. When he was out in the corridor, though, he didn't see the monstrous man he expected to be there. It was Kouyou’s mother instead, with her light frame and reddened eyes, standing next to Yuu’s own mother and shaking in her soft coat. 

“Hello, Yuu.” Her voice was just as calm and soft as he remembered it to be--just this time, it was full of many other emotions which sent chills down his spine.

The woman was hurt and it projected through her sad, reddened and puffy eyes, which were now locked on him. It made him uncomfortable and filled his heart with sympathy.

“Hello, Mrs. Takashima,” Yuu answered her after a deep breath and the woman smiled briefly, while the sadness in her eyes only deepened.

“Is Kouyou awake?” she asked, and even though her question didn’t surprise him, it still caught him off guard as he took a moment to think.

“He… um… he’s still sleeping.” He glanced behind him where his room was supposed to be at the end of the corridor, and he felt relieved when he saw that Kouyou wasn’t peeking out from there. The president was fast asleep when Yuu woke up earlier and left him to rest. The door bell probably hadn’t succeeded in waking him up, either.

“I’ll check on him, though.” He glanced at the woman again but she quickly stopped him with her next words.

“Please, Yuu, I would like to speak with you if you don’t mind.”

Yuu hesitated then as he remembered the last time a Takashima had told him the same words in the past. The conversation had turned out to be one of the worst in his life and almost broke him beyond repair by its end. The hesitation Yuu felt was probably too obvious for both his mother and the other woman as well, because Ms. Shiroyama was the next to speak.

“Yuu, let’s hear her out. Let’s move to the living room and talk like adults.” Ms. Shiroyama was throwing him a gentle look and Yuu submitted to it immediately. The woman had never failed him before and had been his partner in everything, always protected him at all costs. If she wasn’t feeling any danger, despite recent events and who had stepped into their home, then probably he shouldn’t worry either but rather trust his parent instead, just as he had done many times before.

“Alright.” He sighed and he waited for his mother to lead their guest into the living room before he followed them silently behind.

When they entered, the woman sat on the sofa, while his mother took a seat beside her as well.

Yuu wasn’t feeling comfortable in this setting, however, so he opted for the lonely seat instead. Despite that the woman had been nothing but good to him so far, he didn’t trust her fully yet. She might have had a good heart, but it didn’t change the fact that she failed to protect her son from the abuse her husband inflicted on him the previous night. He wasn’t sure what her deal was, but he hoped he would find out now before it was too late.

He and Kouyou needed allies now more than ever before.

The conversation didn’t start immediately as Ms. Shiroyama asked her guest if she would like a cup of tea before they start.

It gave Yuu some time to put his thoughts in order and calm down his heart. The woman declined the tea, however, and politely opted for coffee instead, with lots of sugar and as strong as it could get. That made Yuu smile slightly as he realised Kouyou shared that quality with his mother, as he always enjoyed his coffee the same way.

After they were all settled in the living room with hot drinks in hand, the atmosphere quickly took a darker turn filled with tension that almost made Yuu nauseous again.

“How was Kouyou last night? How did he take… what happened?” the woman didn’t waste any time before asking Yuu directly about the matter.

“He was hurt, but… “ he sighed again, and this time the pain in his chest was more prominent than before. “I did my best to try and distract him.”

His answer was short and stern as he tried to make it clear that he wasn’t ready to reveal any more details from the previous night.

The woman understood and nodded as she took a sip from her coffee and left it on the small table in front of her. She looked so defeated and so guilty, it made Yuu feel guilt of his own.

“Don’t get me wrong, Yuu. I’m glad he has you by his side.” The woman lifted up her gaze and, when it landed on the raven, he didn’t dare move or speak. She had such captivating, noble eyes, his defense quickly crumbled as they seemed so familiar. He was sure Kouyou took that from her as well. “I’m sorry you had to witness that. Such a thing has never happened before, I swear. I would never have expected it myself.”

Her eyes grew watery and it alarmed Yuu, but he couldn’t move nor speak. His body had frozen in its spot and his own eyes saddened as the sympathy within him grew even stronger than before.

So Mr. Takashima hadn’t been violent to his son before. Yuu was still reluctant to believe her, though it did make sense. Kouyou was daring in his words last night; the senior was smart and wouldn’t provoke his father if he had expected such a reaction to occur in the end. Especially since he knew Yuu was there, and he wouldn’t let him witness such a thing. They were one, and if something was to happen to Kouyou, Yuu would be suffering with him, as well as the other way around. They loved each other too much already to allow the other to be hurt like that.

Last night’s events were a surprise to everyone involved.

“Aiko and I… we talked with him after you left.” Her voice trembled as she spoke. “He regrets what he’s done.”

Now that was a lie and Yuu wasn’t having it.

“I doubt he regrets anything,” he was quick to respond, his voice stern and quickly jumping into defensive mode. The woman corrected herself with her next words.

“He doesn’t regret his motives, but he does regret how he acted upon them.”

Now that was more like it. Yuu could believe that. 

Maybe.

His gaze didn’t soften up, however, and his patience was beginning to run thin as he began to wonder, what was she doing in their house, anyway, and what were her true intentions...

“I believe that he can understand, Yuu. And you can understand him too.”

“I can’t.” Yuu didn’t even blink before he retorted. The woman took a small breath and lowered her gaze, but she kept talking as if Yuu’s defensive tone didn’t bother her at all.

“He grew up in a very ambitious family. They had always been strict with him since he was a child. It’s all he knows. I have seen him in his vulnerable state. He does have a heart, but you have to understand that his mindset was set by his family long ago. Maybe he’s too old to change, but he’s ready to make the first step in trying.”

Her last words made Yuu frown at her and it confused him to an extent.

“What do you mean?” he asked, but then they were interrupted by a low, husky morning voice which came from the hallway.

“What are you doing here?”

As soon as Kouyou stepped into the room, a wave of tension washed over both the women and the boys in a way that had the tired blond gritting his teeth. Whatever was going on, he didn't like it.

Especially upon catching sight of who the second woman was: his mother. His mother, if he could even consider her that. His mother, undeserving of the title  _ mother _ as she, along with his father, had been nothing but distant financial supporters throughout his life; the closest thing he had ever gotten to a mother was Aiko, and even then, Kouyou never felt as though he had the privilege to say he'd been "mothered" by anyone at all.

Teeth gritted, they only continued to bite harder once the woman had only briefly acknowledged her son's presence with a saddened glance before returning her attention to Yuu, who was seated alone on the loveseat across from her.

"Yuu," she then spoke in the silent tension of the room, sending a cold shiver down Kouyou's spine. His mother always had a confident voice, made for business and purpose—but now, to hear it soft and tender, had the blond's jaw releasing tension slightly. "I believe the best way to make progress is for you to talk to my husband. Talk to him and convince him to understand your side; because perhaps he'll listen to you, now. I know he'll make the effort if given the push."

"Excuse me?" As if that distant woman had the audacity to intrude the only safe space Kouyou knew and propose such an impossible plan! "Are you out of your mind? I don't want Yuu going anywhere near that bastard. Look at the 'understanding' he so kindly graced me with!" The red mark on Kouyou's face was still visible, and he pointed at it to emphasize his sarcastic remark. If that man had gotten physical with his own son, there was no telling what he would do to Yuu if the two were alone. Kouyou didn't even want to begin thinking about it.

Softly, his mother let out a sigh and shut her eyes momentarily. Upon opening them, her gaze bore directly into Kouyou's in a way that wasn't stern, but rather... dare he say, caring? Warm?

"Kouyou, won't you come sit beside Yuu, please?"

In a walk of shame, Kouyou obliged, making his way to sit beside Yuu on the loveseat. Yuu offered him a small smile when the blond looked his way before letting his delicate, cool hand rest over Kouyou's bigger, warmer one.

As if the touch had somehow sucked out the tension from Kouyou's body, the blond relaxed into the loveseat as he held Yuu's hand, their shoulders now touching as Kouyou was desperate for more of that feeling. It worked, though Yuu felt tense as well; but with Kouyou's own touch, both were beginning to relax despite the harsh situation.

"Mrs. Takashima, you can't deny how precious our boys are together." Ms. Shiroyama smiled softly at the other woman, hoping to encourage the uplifting direction of the situation. 

A soft chuckle left the other woman's lips in response as she gazed at the two with the first real sense of motherly love Kouyou had ever felt from her. "I know perfectly. But I'm not the one who needs convincing." She intentionally left the rest of the sentence unspoken as the other three knew exactly who she was referring to; it was Mr. Takashima who needed to be convinced, but Mrs. Takashima wasn't capable of doing such a thing herself. "Kouyou, Yuu. How did you two meet?"

Of course, the question was used as a method of softening Kouyou, but regardless, he was delighted to answer. It had been the first time his mother had ever made the attempt to ask questions about his life and be interested in who he was as a person, rather than simply his grades or position at school. It appeared Yuu appreciated the question, too, the corners of his lips lifting up into a soft smile. He glanced up at Kouyou, urging him to answer with a squeeze of his hand over the blond's own.

"Yuu was a new student and I was appointed to acquaint him with the school. For the first week, I was supposed to simply help him find his classes, show him the ropes of our school system—the usual things. I spent lunch with him that week as well as majority of my free time—I didn't have to, but something about him made me want to. The second week, I didn't have to continue escorting him to his classes. But I did it, anyway. I kept doing it, though I didn't have to. I didn't know why at the time; there was just something so... intriguing about him. I wanted to protect him, even if he's plenty strong on his own. He didn't need me, but I wanted to stay." Kouyou took a breath then, his gaze fixated on their interlocked hands as he was too shy to meet the eyes of anyone else in the room. "Everything came as a shock to me. All of these new feelings I didn't understand... I was so, so afraid, so lost... until I realized my feelings were those of love. Love for the boy I was only supposed to show around the school... love for the boy who eventually became my tutor and stopped me from failing math. The boy who I discovered to be so talented in the arts, to be so kind and so pure. Love for Shiroyama Yuu."

Throughout his speech, Kouyou's eyes had begun to water. He wiped at them with his finger self-consciously, ashamed to have become so vulnerable in front of such an audience—but at the same time, he regretted nothing. Lifting his head, he saw both mothers dabbing at their teary eyes as well, while Yuu was fighting back his own beside the blond. His voice was soft and slightly broken when he parted his lips to speak.

"I love you, Takashima Kouyou."

A sniffle sounded from the larger couch across from them. It came from Ms. Shiroyama, who was continuing to wipe at her eyes. "You boys... you should know better than to make a grown woman cry like this."

At that, everyone in the room chuckled; the tension had been lifted momentarily, but some was returned when Mrs. Takashima opened her mouth next.

"Kouyou..." she started off softly, staring into her son's eyes with that returned feeling of unfamiliar, motherly warmth. "I haven't been the best mother to you, I—" when Kouyou cut her off with a sharp glare, she retracted her words. "I... haven't been a mother to you at all. No amount of apologizing will earn your forgiveness, I know that. But I want to change, Kouyou. For you and Yuu. What you two have is beautiful; I envy it." Kouyou's heart hurt with every word that left her mouth. "I can see that Yuu has made you happier than I ever have or will—I don't want you to lose that. And so please," she said, a pleading look in her eyes, "allow Yuu to talk to your father. Allow him to see what I just saw. He isn't made of stone, as much as he appears to be."

The woman's idea was beginning to have an effect on Kouyou's heart; maybe she was right. Though, still skeptical, he proposed: "If Yuu talks to him, I'm going to be there, too."

"No." This time, it was Yuu who protested. "Your mother is right. Kouyou, you'll only provoke your father if you're there. Maybe he has softened, and I can continue to break him further; but I think you two need some time apart." Yuu continued to squeeze his boyfriend's hand reassuringly. "Let me talk to him. I can do it."

Reluctantly, Kouyou had to admit Yuu and his mother had a point. His relationship with his father was far too damaged, and there was no saying what would happen if he interfered.

With a sigh, Kouyou nodded. "It's our only chance."

Yuu nodded in response to the worry in Kouyou’s eyes. He understood his boyfriend perfectly but he knew this was an opportunity neither of them could miss. It was time for Yuu to really shine and prove to everyone how much he actually cared for the blond president who managed to change his life in so many ways. One of the biggest changes Kouyou brought in his life was that Yuu had learned to love again. Hence the raven wasn’t letting anything or anyone take that away from him.

“He’s waiting for you outside. He's in the car.” Mrs. Takashima spoke again and Yuu felt slightly tense, little before he retracted his hand from Kouyou’s and stood up. He didn’t expect the conversation to happen so soon, as he didn’t think the man would approach their house after what had happened between them, but Yuu was thankful that it was all about to end soon.

It was better this way. Matters like these shouldn’t be dragged and prolonged in time. Yuu was confident he could plant the change in the man’s heart. His own emotions were still affected and swirling inside of him, but he was content with himself and what he had to do.

“I’ll be right back,” Yuu said, glancing at his boyfriend one last time before heading to the corridor. He was quick to fetch his jacket and put his shoes on, and soon after that he was out of the house.

When he got outside, the bright light made his eyes hurt slightly, but it took Yuu only a few moments to adjust and spot the sports car of the man he was supposed to negotiate with. He took a deep breath and glanced at his clothes. He was wearing old jeans and a shirt as they were comfy to wear at home, and for some unknown reason, he began to feel intimidated by the encounter that was supposed to take place. The man was a snob, but Yuu quickly remembered his mindset was set a long time ago. There was no need for Yuu to make any effort to try and appear presentable to the man.

It wouldn’t help their situation, nonetheless.

Besides, he was here to battle him with other qualities and hopefully Yuu would be able to make the man listen and probably even see for himself that the bond his son and Yuu had sealed was good and pure, not of some dark or degrading nature.

The raven approached the car and he saw the man inside little before he opened the door to the passenger seat. Once he was inside and seated beside him, Yuu felt chills run down his spine. It wasn’t caused by intimidation, however, as the boy was simply unsure about what to expect from the man.

He didn’t dare begin the conversation and instead  remained silent, waiting for Mr. Takashima to speak first.

It took the man only a couple seconds more until he was ready to do so.

“Kouyou is inside, is he not?”

Yuu didn’t miss the anger in his tone and he felt his mouth go dry. He quickly licked his lips but remained calm when he answered.

“He is.”

The man sighed then and lowered his gaze.

He was still refusing to look at Yuu, and the boy didn’t blame him. Mr. Takashima wasn’t the most pleasant sight for the raven, either.

“Tell me a price. How much to have you out of his life?”

Yuu was stunned for a brief moment as he didn’t expect a question of such nature to drop in the conversation so early. He didn’t give a second thought before answering him, though.

“That doesn’t work on me.”

“Really? I thought you liked Kouyou’s expensive presents so far?”

Yuu couldn’t help it as his lips curved slightly into a knowing smile.

“We already told you he insisted on giving them to me. I never asked for anything. I can give them back right now and it won’t change my mind.”

The man turned to him and bestowed his penetrating eyes upon the raven for a first time. Yuu froze in his spot as he prepared for a blow to his heart.

“You are stubborn.”

“I’m in love.”

“I hate you.”

Yuu didn’t dare to answer the man then. He could say the feeling was reciprocated as the raven wasn’t very fond of the man himself, but he had to remain calm. He couldn’t fire back with the same poison. The best path for a change was to answer the bad with good instead.

“You were right… last night.” The man sighed and Yuu saw him lifting a hand and running it through his thinning hair in a manner radiating with self-frustration. It startled the boy for a moment and yet… he still didn’t react. He chose to wait for the man to continue which happened only several seconds later. “Even if you hate me in return, I suppose it doesn't matter, as everyone are against me at this point.”

It was like a moment of clearance and Yuu almost trembled with anticipation in his seat. Maybe things weren’t as doomed as he and Kouyou originally thought. He had to be careful, though, as he needed more proof that they were on the right path with this. Yuu wasn’t leaving before he and the man had any sort of resolution.

“How old are you?” the man sighed again and Yuu frowned.

“I’m soon to be eighteen.”

“You realise you are both changing constantly at this age, right? You might be completely different people in a year from now, and drift apart instead. Why keep wasting both of your time? Why do you keep fighting?” 

Yuu wasn’t expecting to hear that at all, and he simply smiled in return. It only proved how different they both were, but the boy knew exactly how he felt and understood the risks he had to take. He also knew Kouyou was his everything, right now, and Yuu believed in him, the same way he was sure Kouyou believed in him as well.

“What makes you think we haven't considered all of that already,” he questioned, and it was Mr. Takashima’s turn to frown, genuine confusion written on his face. “I'm well aware of where we are right now, and yes we have dreams of a future together; but even if we never fulfill them, that doesn’t mean we haven't gained more in the process. Even if we drift apart, we would have gained other things,  _ valuable _ things. He’s taught me so much already, and I’m not giving up on him. I want to see and experience how he will change and appreciate the person he will become, even if I can’t follow at some point.” 

When Yuu stopped talking he realised the man was staring at him in a way that made him cower away slightly. It was an unreadable expression, one the boy hadn’t seen on the man’s face before, and he felt unprepared for the first time as it startled and surprised him. It wasn’t anger… nor something worse, however.

“You don’t speak like a seventeen year old.” He spoke all of a sudden, and Yuu was able to read the man just a bit clearer, gaining his confidence back.

“Maybe because I had to grow up so fast.” When the man lowered his gaze, Yuu was able to finally read him clearly; he was simply confused and unprepared for the boy’s clever attitude. He seemed much calmer and Yuu immediately saw the chance to deliver a strike of his own as the man seemed to be crumbling down, and maybe… slightly opening up to the idea of a change. “The way you treated Kouyou last night. I experienced something similar myself, years back. I lost a parent then, and it hurt me deeply; I still wear the scars. I still feel the sting on my face whenever I remember of those times.” Yuu took a breath then as he realised talking about this was just as painful as thinking about it… if not worse. The man still wore his penetrating gaze, but the boy knew he was listening. The way his eyes flickered behind the cold mask showed Yuu that he was finally making progress. “I don’t want that happening to Kouyou. Believe it or not, I love him with all of my heart. I am not giving him up. But I  _ am _ willing to do anything to prevent his family falling apart, solely because of who he loves. Please help me with that.”

Mr. Takashima turned his gaze away. He sighed and Yuu was sure he was slowly crumbling down. It was too obvious now as the raven was able to see how troubled and nervous he was, probably afraid of the ideas forming in his head. The man didn’t want his family falling apart, indeed. No matter if it was simply because of the image he had in his mind and wanted them all to follow and preserve, Yuu was willing to give his all and get on the man’s good graces. Even if Yuu hated the man just as much, he would try to maintain a truce, for Kouyou’s sake.

“Promise me that no one will ever find out. You two will stay hidden and not tell anyone as long as you are together.”

The words that left Takshima’s mouth made Yuu’s blood freeze in his veins. He expected something like that, and yet, even if he didn’t think about coming out himself, the thought of them remaining a secret forever broke something inside of Yuu’s chest.

Despite it, the man’s condition was fair as Yuu realised it was a small sacrifice compared to the catastrophe they would have to endure if he refused. The man would never let them be together and Yuu couldn’t let that happen.

“Alright.”

The man faced him again and, this time, he looked hurt and in so much pain, there was fear in his eyes and Yuu realised it was a parental kind of turmoil he was experiencing right now. Mrs. Takashima was right, indeed, when she said the man wasn’t made of stone and had more beneath the cold surface of his face.

“And if it gets out and affects Kouyou’s future and life in the worst ways, you will be the first to leave and save his reputation. You will take responsibility and take it all with you and away from him. Promise me that and I swear I will never interfere between you two again.”

The man’s words fell like rocks on the raven’s already fragile heart and Yuu was able to feel the cracks as they appeared on the surface. That condition was cruel but the boy understood the reasoning behind it completely. The man was looking out for Kouyou’s reputation and his future, and Yuu was just as concerned as he loved his boyfriend dearly, wanting nothing but the best for him.

He knew he would make the sacrifice himself if it meant saving Kouyou’s happiness and wellbeing. He knew how cruel people could get and how much it hurt him to be treated as an outcast in the past. He would never let something like that happen to Kouyou as well.

“I promise.”

When he agreed, Yuu’s mouth was dry again and he licked his lips as a sigh escaped him. He was sure he was doing the right thing, nonetheless, and wondered why it felt so wrong all the same.

“It’s a deal.” Mr. Takashima’s eyes and voice were stern and Yuu nodded, agreeing to their terms and hoping that the man’s prediction would prove to be all false in the end. He truly believed that, but it didn’t wipe the pain in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that bastard!!!!!


End file.
